A Destiny Entwined
by Aim-64C
Summary: A millenia-old sin set into motion a cascade of absolution; the catalyst calamity of conflagration. Born in that decision a thousand years ago was the prophecy of those who would return to once again shine upon the Tao to cast a new silhouette of destiny. Naruhina
1. 01: Koi

So, after much internal debate, I have decided to 'reboot' "Dynamics Of A Future." This is that reboot. Numerous factors played into this, not the least of which has been my feeling that I have done the story a disservice in the past with a fragmented presentation and a lack of elemental focus. Basically, I was trying to do too much without doing anything.

I'll spare the updates about my life - you're not here for a biography (much as my ego wants to believe so). This is going to be a Naruto and Hinata pairing with a huge focus on the Hyuuga. I have been developing my 'theory' on the Hyuuga role and standing within the Naruto Universe for quite some time, and I'd like to delve into the portions of Naruto that are typically not explored. The Hyuuga are typically depicted as relatively shallow, rigid, and static.

My goal is to work with the canon to create a more dynamic stage for a restructuring of the War Arc - but we will see how that plays out.

That said, on with the story:

* * *

A Destiny Entwined

Chapter One: Koi

A set of stern, pale orbs met his own. "How do you expect to go anywhere in life when you fight like a rampaging boar?"

His stance hardened. "This... This... _Man_" the thought curdled his brain.

"A man who fights against his destiny is a man who swims against the stream, Hiashi." The older Hyuuga slid under Hiashi's stance, delivering a swift blow to the younger Hyuuga.

Air was forced from Hiashi's lungs as he stumbled backwards. In their battle, he had wandered closer to the pond than he had felt wise, and his suspicions were rewarded. His foot collided with the decorative granite and his inertia carried him, backwards, into the pond.

"Hiashi," the older Hyuuga's voice could be heard through the splash of water, "Strength comes in many forms, as does weakness."

Hiashi's lips curled. "Are you implying that I am weak?" He nearly laughed at the older man's silence. "Weak for rejecting the sealing ritual? For insisting that my twin brother, who is as much me as any person can claim, should not be sealed!? I have the same eyes as you, old man. I can see our destiny as clearly as you can!"

The older Hyuuga sighed, "Simply because a man accepts his destiny does not mean he is unable to choose his fate."

"A father who would betray his son has no right to lead the Hyuuga!" Hiashi screamed.

"Nothing is done, Hiashi." His father's words echoed into memory as he strode away. "But nothing is left undone."

Hiashi cursed such mindless rhetoric as he thrashed to a stand. It was the same drivel the old men always used as an excuse to do nothing. He would not sit by for his brother to be taken as a lower class servant.

A gentle brush on his leg startled him from his brooding. A Koi, pale silver splotched with vivid orange, shimmered past. "Such wisdom." Hiashi said to himself. "That a lowly fish contradicts it." He took a moment to straighten his hair and expression before exiting the pond.

He stopped, frowning for a moment as his water-laden garb. A cloud of mist soon exploded away from the young Hyuuga, his chakra blasting the offensive liquid into vapor. "I have seen it. The Hyuuga are destined to change with me. Hizashi is to die in service to his own beliefs. I just need more power..."

* * *

The girl across from her sleeked a lock of hair away, revealing familiar pale orbs. Their depths painted an interesting expression of eagerness and regret. Hinata wiggled slightly, her muscles tingling with anxiety. Her father's eyes loomed like a hawk in the back of her mind.

Her thoughts drifted to an old memory.

Hinata fumbled in her new pajamas. They were a warm, fuzzy material that she liked, but a bit too long to walk in. The bunny ears would also droop in her face, and she was always leaving the carrot behind, somewhere. She padded slowly down the hard, wooden floors; mother would surely be able to help her get to sleep.

"Hiashi, don't you think you are over-reacting? She's only three years old." Her mother's voice echoed around the corner.

"And the elders will be screaming to have Hanabi's sealing ceremony marked on the calendar before the month is over." Her father sounded upset.

"So, let them scream. Hanabi and Hinata need their father, now. _I_ need you, now. Some bridges are meant to be crossed when you come to them." Her mother said, softly.

Hinata padded a little closer to the corner. Some instinct in her told her not to go fully around.

"I was too young, back then, to keep Hizashi from being branded, and now his son is condemned to the same fate!" Her father edged his voice.

"And why must it always be your place, your responsibility, to stop the madness of the elders?"

"Because it is-"

"Your destiny? What about your place; as a father?" Her mother sounded upset, now.

"But you see it, don't you?" Her father asked as if he needed something.

Her mother sighed. "Yes, Hiashi. I see that the Hyuuga are to change, and I've seen Hinata's destiny, as well." There was a moment where her father should have spoken. "But," Her mother edged. "Nothing is done, and nothing is left undone."

"You know how much I hate that phrase." Her father sounded defeated.

"Such is your nature." Her mother's voice was reassuring. "For now, at least."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Teach Hinata well. The fate of far more than the Hyuuga depends on it." Her mother said.

Hinata would return to her bed, still unable to sleep. It didn't seem to be a good time to interrupt. Her father had taught her not to interrupt. She would learn from her father, her mother made it sound important to do so. A part of her would always long for the moment, the last time she heard her mother's voice.

The years would come, and Hinata would learn. It came time for Hanabi to learn, as well. For reasons Hinata was never quite able to understand, she was supposed to be a fighter without human parallel. At least, that seemed to be her father's expectation. When Hanabi showed just how adept she was at learning the combat techniques of the Hyuuga, it was inevitable that Hinata would have to square off against her younger sister to see if theory held to practice.

The way the fight was going would seem to indicate Hanabi's theory was superior to Hinata's practice.

Hanabi angled into Hinata's stance, making a wide sweep with one hand while jabbing sharply with the other. Hinata shifted her stance, turning a duck into a lateral roll. She cursed her clumbsy recovery to her feet as Hanabi caught her flat-footed.

Hinata yelped as her sister's chakra exploded into her body just below her right collar bone. The younger girl's strikes were still imprecise, but she made up for it with her name's sake. Hinata slunk her shoulder away, pivoting to deliver a strong open-palmed strike to Hanabi's solar plex with her left hand.

The younger girl sprang backwards, visibly strugling with her temporary inability to breathe. Hinata took the opportunity, charging rapidly toward her sister. Hanabi had recovered more quickly than expected, rotating rapidly to deliver a hard blow to the girl's abdomen.

Hinata ricocheted to the ground with a yelp. The hit from Hanabi hurt, but her heart sank into the depths of her soul when she saw her father look down, shake his head, and leave the room. Hinata laid there for a moment if indefinite time before she slowly climbed to her feet.

"Hinata?" Hanabi called, worry in her voice.

Hinata turned toward the door. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care. Perhaps part of her felt like she was supposed to walk through that door. It really didn't matter, at this point.

"Hinata!" Hanabi called, again as Hinata crossed the threshold. "Sis!" Hinata was already sprinting down the path out of the compound. Tears streamed, unbeckoned, from her cheeks as the ache in her heart drove the pounding of her feet. Hinata didn't understand or care for the talk of destiny... A child's nature is to seek the approval of her parent. The young Hyuuga knew what her father expected, and it was not what happened back there.

At some point, she had crossed into the park maintained by the village. Her vision still clouded by tears, Hinata collided squarely with a stocky teenager, an ice-cream cone landing with a splosh on the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you are going!" The older boy jeered.

"I'm sorry..." Hinata squeaked.

"Hey! Look at her eyes! I bet she's related to that prick, Neji!" Hinata had recovered to see that there were three teenage boys in front of her. Apparently they were not fans of her cousin.

"I'm -" Hinata started.

"I bet she's got a broom just as far up her ass as he does!" The third boy suggested.

"Is that so? Do you think you're better than us?" The stocky boy leered at her.

"N-No... I didn't mean to, I swear." Hinata's voice wavered.

A stiff hand landed on her head and forced her to her knees. "Beg!" The stocky kid commanded.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." She began begging, tears forming in her eyes. She could see her father's lowered gaze; his disappointment if he were to see her, now.

"Hey, Knock it off." A new voice cut through her sobs.

"Oh, look, it's the ass clown." Hinata heard one of the boys as she looked up.

"Oh? Keep talking," the blonde menace smiled "What did you say your name was, again, Lord Lard? I'll ban your whole jelly bellied family from the village once I'm Hokage!"

Hinata, for her part, wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. She'd seen the blonde, before. He was always alone, and she was always dissuaded from so much as acknowledging the presence of the boy. The villagers seemed to curse his very existence for reasons Hinata was never told of. The Hyuuga elders didn't seem to be as harsh, but they liked to think themselves above gossip.

The kids laughed. "Yeah, right. You'll become Hokage when trees threaten to destroy the world!" One boy mocked. For her part, Hinata saw a small spark of irony.

"I guess I will start by turning your fat ass into fertilizer!" The blonde bellowed, forming a hand sign for ninjutsu.

The teenagers tensed. Hinata guessed it was something to do with the idea of the 'demon brat' using techniques as powerful as ninjutsu. As the young boy charged his chakra, however, the young Hyuuga felt it.

It wasn't proper to say she saw it, she didn't have her Byakugan activated. It wasn't proper to say she felt it, as she wasn't gifted with the sensory arts. But an essence of the boy stood out in a way only meaningful to a Hyuuga. Laid before her was Naruto Uzumaki's destiny.

It was a concept both familiar and alien to human cognition. To see something so deeply ingrained into the universe but so maleable by choice; Hinata could never hope to put it into words. It was clear to her, though: This "Demon Brat" would hold the fate of humanity in his hands.

"Clone Jutsu!" The blonde shouted.

The older boys began to turn to flee just before the smoke cleared. They didn't turn far before a pair of hideously formed clones wobbled, their entire existence wrinkled and flushed pale. A chorus of laughter erupted in response.

"Ha! I distracted you!" The demon brat lunged at the stocky kid, knocking him to the ground with a punch.

Hinata stood, getting ready to move to her blonde samurai's aid. "Lady Hinata!" The familiar voice of her personal guard, Ko, broke through. Hinata felt a hand land on her shoulder. "Come, Lady Hinata. You are needed back at the compound."

"But..." She protested.

"Pay it no mind. We need to go, now." Ko instructed, pulling her away.

Hinata looked back to see the boys had turned the tables on the blonde, beating him mercilessly into the ground. In that moment, she felt she understood. _He's... Like me..._

* * *

Hinata stood outside her father's office, studying the grains in the floor. Hiashi was willing to bet his daughter could map the compound by the floorboards. "You realize, Lord Hyuuga, that Lady Hinata has been recognized as a Ninja of the Leaf. She is eligible to go on missions, now." Kurenai Yuhi addressed him.

"I am well aware of that, Miss Yuhi. Though I appreciate your concern for the standards of appointment to Head Hyuuga status." No one ever laughed at his jokes, much to Hiashi's dismay.

"As her sensei," Kurenai rebounded without pause, "I am concerned about her safety and what that means to the Hyuuga-"

So, here it was. "As her sensei," Hiashi interrupted. "It is your responsibility to teach her. She can die a hideous death at the hands of foreign enemies, if that is to be her fate, but I will no longer require her for Hyuuga training."

Hiashi could practically feel his daughter's heart clench. Kurenai couldn't hide the daggers in her eyes. "Very well." She composed herself. "I will undertake Hinata's training from here on out." The young woman pivoted smartly and exited the room with all the edge of a razor blade.

"Come with me, Hinata." Kurenai's voice tried to soothe his daughter.

Hiashi closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The only words of comfort for him came from the past: "Nothing is done, and nothing is left undone." He fought a tremor in his facade as he slid shut and latched the door.

Age had humbled the destined man. The power he sought took away his wife, Hizashi died a free man while fulfilling his destiny, and it soon became clear that the destiny he saw for his daughter held him as a background factor. He'd once railed against the elder's for their constant use of paradoxes and lack of action. Now, he was beginning to understand.

Or, he really hoped he was starting to understand. Hinata was not... There wasn't really a verb or subject to that phrase; Hinata simply was not. Not for lack of trying, bless her heart, but Hiashi soon began to see that Hinata's destiny lay beyond the Hyuuga. There was something more he saw, something he couldn't quite peg - but he knew that he was not the one to inspire Hinata. Her destiny, for the time, required she believed she was failing.

Hiashi noticed his vision had blurred and drops patting gently against his folded hands. The words echoed through his mind: "Nothing is done, and nothing is left undone." It didn't stop the tears. It was a father's nature to cry when his child is suffering.

* * *

Her cousin's words burned at her very soul. "You know you can not win this fight. Your father has taken up training your younger sister because he no longer believes in you." He paused with a slight chuckle. "You don't even believe in yourself. Your stance has lost all composure, you've become completely withdrawn. Your very existence is an insult to the legacy of the Head Branch."

Hinata couldn't help but agree with his words. She wanted, longed for them to be false... But she wasn't even a challenge for Hanabi in sparing matches, anymore. A cold, calculating prodigy like Neji would bat her aside at the word "Go."

"Seriously!?" A voice increasingly familiar to Hinata rang out. She turned to look at the blonde. "Who the hell does this pompous douche think he is? Kick his ass, Hinata!"

_He's... Like me..._ The memory slammed into her mind. In that moment, Hinata understood. _Nothing is done._

Hinata found her stance and activated her Byakugan. "Cousin Neji, we fight."

* * *

Hinata stared into her cousin's eyes, saddened by the pain and anger she saw within them. She coughed, blood coating her lips, before collapsing to the ground. There was a considerable amount of commotion As she felt her body being shifted and picked up. At the edge of her hearing, Naruto's voice broke into what little remained of her consciousness.

"I swear..." The voice betrayed a marginally constrained demon. "I swear that I will beat your ass to kingdom come!"

_Nothing is left undone._

* * *

A hot gust of wind blew through the Hyuuga's garmets as the sun beat down on the parched dirt. "You honestly think you can become Hokage?" Neji choked back a laugh. "The Hokage is not something you become, it is something born into destiny."

The mark's on the blonde's face, that could only be described as whiskers, seemed to become more prominent. "I will show you!"

Neji couldn't help but laugh. "Show me what? Your chakra points have been closed. This fight is over, just as it was destined to be." He smirked. "I could see it from the moment I met you. You and Hinata share the same destiny. You are both weak before the likes of myself."

It had been certain in the older Hyuuga's mind. Granted, it did surprise him that Hinata had decided to fight - but one can not change their destiny. Hinata, despite the effort, lost. Neji saw it the moment the blabbering blonde gave encouragement to his cousin; the two did share the same destiny. Proof of that stood before that assessment right now; the blonde was left with harsh language and not an ounce off useable chakra.

Or so it should have been. The blonde seemed to reflect on something... Perhaps a few things, and the result was anything but what Neji thought would happen. A foul, truly monstrous chakra swirled inside the boy as his features seemed to transform into a truly ferral appearance. For a moment, Neji could perceive the depths of the chakra at work, and the mass of it left him paralyzed with incomprehension.

He didn't have time to begin appreciating the implications before he was forced on the defensive. Why did fulfilling destiny always require so much damned work?

* * *

Hiashi tried to keep his expression softer than was typical. Neji stood across from him, the gentle gurgling of the Koi pond in the background. "Uncle," He started, obviously uncomfortable. "I held you and the Main Branch in contempt that was undeserved. I give my deepest apologies and am deeply ashamed for my behavior." He ended his statement in a formal bow.

"Neji," Hiashi's voice carried an unfamiliar warmth "I can not be upset with you for acting according to your nature." The younger Hyuuga's face contorted, briefly, in confusion. Hiashi's response was obviously not of the expected variety. "Little was done, by myself or others, to teach you of your father, my brother, and of his life." He paused, allowing the statement to sink in a bit. "You are, indeed, a prodigy with fighting prowess that will soon rival any in Hyuuga history. It is only natural for you to seek to end injustice, as I once did."

The younger Hyuuga's expression betrayed curiosity. "Uncle, you...?"

"You are not the first to fight against the Seal. From what I have seen, you will not be the last, either." Hiashi admitted. "Destiny," he started with a sigh "is not a static property to be observed. It is dynamic and in many respects truly alien. It is always shifting and changing with time but its course is always consistent."

"I ... I think I understand." Neji admited. "So, Lady Hinata..."

Hiashi took advantage of the pause. "Yes, I saw it, too. She and the Uzumaki boy both share the same destiny. Understand that destiny is never to be taken for granted. There are many ways to fulfil a destiny, especially those that are shared destinies."

The younger Hyuuga seemed to be lost in contemplation.

"I think you will figure it out before I did." Hiashi said, reassuringly. "With that said, I would be honored if you would allow me to instruct you in the arts of the Head Branch."

"Uncle?" Neji inquired.

"Just because destiny can be unexpected does not mean it should not be prepared for. You are still destined to be at your cousin's side in battle. That she shares a destiny with the guardian of the Kyuubi means you have your work cut out for you. Or did you expect destiny to hand itself to you?"

Neji smiled. "After the fight with Naruto, I wonder if there is such a thing as destiny. Why would anyone who can see their destiny desire to work for what is guaranteed?"

Hiashi gave a light chuckle. "I have often wondered the same thing, until I realized that we are destined to see that which is necessary to see."

"I think my head just exploded." Neji groaned.

* * *

The concrete shifted beneath his feet as he climbed the small summit. "Lady Hinata!" Ko called to his charge. He stumbled closer as the sun caught the glint of her navy blue hair as its strands unfolded in the wind. Her Byakugan was active and her mind clearly focused on the center of the crater.

"Lady Hinata..." He placed a hand on her shoulder. His vision wasn't as good as hers, but he could tell the battle down there had shifted against the blonde. She didn't respond to his presence, her demeanor suddenly shifting uncomfortably.

He tigthened his grip on her shoulder. _She wouldn't..._ "Lady Hinata... You must not..."

She motioned to take a step forward, only looking his direction when he held her shoulder firm. "The foe is too strong, you will only-" His sentence would not be finished. Sharp pain shot through his elbow and knee. Hinata struck with inhuman speed and precision, closing a few of his chakra points around his extremities.

As he crumpled to a knee, she turned to him, her eyes betraying a mortal sadness. "I am sorry, Ko. There is nothing left undone."

Ko was stricken slack as she turned and dashed into the crater. With only the most basic of human reaction reclaimed, he screamed. "Lady Hinata!" But he already knew it was a scream for his sake. The girl he had guarded like a child of his own, from the time she was in a cradle, would now step into her grave.

* * *

Cerulean orbs, framed with the most pure form of desperation, burned across the distance. She could drink each emotion flowing from them, and her heart truly ached for the pain she had caused, that she knew would come. She forced herself up; he couldn't see her give in. Her arms burned and shook uncontrolably as her teeth grated across the packed clay of the crater.

"Hinata... Just... Stop, please..." The blonde lowered his eyes.

Hinata felt her heart stretch across the ground to the blonde. She knew neither of them could stop what the young man knew would break him in two. She clasped the rod pinning his hands to the ground, panting for breath. "I don't..." he looked up as she labored for breath "go back on my word." His eyes stared up into hers, the rawest form of horror painted upon them. "That is my nindo."

Her stomach was abuzz with wings as her entire body was relieved the strain of gravity. Hinata lost sight of Naruto as she flipped and spun up into the air. It was a surreal sensation, and would have been enjoyable - even thrilling were it under different circumstances.

"Hinata!" His voice screamed as she caught sight of him once more. The ground rushed forward, filling the entirety of her vision before she slammed, limp into the ground. There was a sound of unsheathed metal, and cloth whirling toward her.

She shrieked with a scream as she felt the rod pierce her lung. Her arm flailed to grasp the unwanted intrusion and her knees curled reflexively.

It was a moment before she realized that her hand grasped nothing and that everything was dim. She was panting, gasping for breath, blankets thrown askew in her bed. A waxing moon shone brightly through the window, glistening off of the midnight dew on the tree leaves. She collapsed backwards onto her bed.

"I... I was supposed to die..." She said, softly, to herself. She curled around her pillow instinctively, strangling it for comfort. Never had she been more sure of her actions and the outcome than when she set foot in that crater. In the moment, she could see it clearly; her sacrifice would be the breeze that signaled a hurricane, the divine wind of salvation for the Leaf.

Instead, she had survived. Not that she wanted to sound ungrateful, but she certainly hadn't counted on being around to have flashbacks. Or worry about how Naruto would react to her, now. When it came to the blonde, recently, she wondered if she really had died since he seemed to ignore her.

She was annoyed with herself for being irritated by that fact. She wasn't exactly supposed to be alive for him to interact with. It was hardly fair for her to feel irritated by his lack of... What? A sudden proclomation of love? For him to show up at her window some night with horny teenage fantasies? The Hyuuga sighed, pulling herself from bed. There was absolutely no way she was going to get any sleep like this.

Hinata dressed in a hurry and dashed from the compound. Once again, she found herself sprinting through the village, or what remained of it, without a direction in mind. She found a set of trees still standing and made a short 'game' of dashing between them in figure-eights. Another whim caught her and she leapt into the trees, bark sliding beneath her hands as she flipped upright to perch atop a branch. Hinata paused for a moment, scanning the cannopy.

A spontaneous spark sent her rolling off of the branch, glancing off of a tree before drawing a hand full of shuriken. Hinata activated her Byakugan, eying the suspiciously innocent tree stump a few meters away as she zagged an oblique angle away from it. She flung two shuriken, reversed direction, threw three shuriken, angled a reverse to close direction, and sent two kunai to follow.

The stump couldn't help but be awes-struck, its stature frozen even as shurken and kunai embedded themselves into its bark.

Hinata frowned as she slowed to an awkward gait. Honestly, she wasn't quite sure why such an emphasis was placed on shuriken and kunai. The damned things never seemed to work as advertised. The theory was nice - a ninja's skin was just as vulnerable to being cut as any other person's, barring special abilities. Therefor, even the most powerful of threats could be silenced with a well placed piece of sharpened metal.

Hinata was convinced the practical meaning was more symbolic than effective. "The unheeded threat can be even more costly than the most obvious of the impending threats."

Not that it stopped the likes of Tenten. She took the phrase: "Accuracy by volume" quite literally, and to the extreme. If the chance of success was 1%, ten salvos of ten kunai put the statistical odds of success at "favorable."

The Hyuuga stopped short of the stump and reached for her kunai. Motion in the crater caught her attention and she focused her consciousness on the disturbance. "Naruto..." she couldn't help but whisper aloud. Her features softened as she saw his face contorted in a conflicted state of emotions, wanding about the crater.

* * *

Naruto sighed with what could only be described as a shiver. No matter how many times he came here, even after a day of rain, her blood could still be seen in the sun-baked clay. The hole where the rod had punched clear through Hinata and into the ground was still there, too.

It had all been so fast, it had all been too much to handle. He stooped, touching the stain of blood across the clay. "I'm sorry..." He choked. Naruto could still the look she'd held in her eyes, that day. It haunted his dreams. She knew that she would... No... She knew that she _needed_ to die.

"But... Why?" He asked, aloud, again. "You... Didn't have to." Everything he did... It was to protect his friends, those he cared about. "No one should ever have to die for me." Truth be told, Hinata scared the living hell out of him. It was easy to work himself to the bone under the harsh and critical stares of people who hated them. He would admit that a part of his determination came from the desire to spite those in the village who had looked down upon him. The other part of his determination came from his desire to protect those who were important to him, those who did seem to appreciate his existence. If he died keeping those people safe, he could die in peace.

Somehow, he could see that same determination reflected in Hinata's eyes. She would have died, at peace with the world, trying to keep him from harm. "How..." he allowed himself to wonder aloud, "am I supposed to keep you safe?"

Naruto gave a frustrated sigh. No matter how many times he walked here and relived the moment, it brought him no answers, and even less comfort. He sat down on the ground, folding his legs. For the time being, there was one thing that helped him find some stability. For a brief moment, he ceased being independent from nature as he took the essence of the universe into himself. The breadth of the crater he was in filled his bones, the trees tickled his skin, and a light whisp of wind stirred behind him.

"S-So... What is it like?" Her small voice practically exploded through the crater.

* * *

Hinata scolded herself for sneaking up behind the blonde. She really didn't intend to, but she was not known for being overt in her actions. She caused Naruto the pain he felt, though. She couldn't leave him to deal with it, alone.

"It is kind of hard to find words for it." Naruto's response was unexpectedly calm and detached. "When I do this, I can feel how small my body is, but I also feel how big everything else is and take that feeling into myself."

"Interesting." Hinata walked around to sit in front of him. "And you can sense the world around you?"

Naruto's face twitched for a moment. "Yeah... I ... Was glad to realize you were alive when I returned to being... Me."

"Naruto..." Hinata wasn't sure what to say, but she tried to put comfort into her voice.

"Thankyou, Hinata..." the blonde said, still in his meditative pose "I ... I ..." Silver streaks shot down his cheeks, spawning a cascade of glistening orbs.

* * *

Naruto was trying really hard not to break down. He knew that he would have to face her at some point... He knew that it was wrong to avoid her... But his mind was completely frozen on the fear of losing someone who would stand with him on the brink of death so naturally.

"I ... " he stammered. He felt the fluid flowing down his cheeks, his breath begin to hitch and choke. He kept his eyes closed, as if it would somehow keep the girl in front of him from seeing.

A warmth rested itself on his left arm. "It is okay, Naruto." A familiar, light whisp of wind fluttered from her warmth. Somehow, he felt it call to him, asking him to respond. He hesitated for a moment before another flutter of wind sent its call straight to his bones. In it was a twinge of loneliness, even desperation.

He cycled the chakra in his body, a thunderous echo of chakra calling back to the whisp of wind. A mild breeze seemed to stir his whole body, and his thunder seemed to reply in harmony. A storm soon whipped through his essence; not destructive, not creative, the storm simply was what came naturally. In the wind, he could feel the young Hyuuga. She swirled around and enveloped what was important, howled of what was empty, and pushed firmly on her resolutions. Her ground split and shook where his quaking fears lay, the echo of thunder was joined by the chorus of a thousand gales.

Slowly, the storm died down. As the final echo of thunder faded, Naruto opened his eyes. "Hinata... That was... Amazing. What was that?"

Hinata blushed. "It... It's an old art that my family used to use."

The blonde looked down at his arm, quizically. "That didn't feel l ike any Gentle Fist strike I've ever felt." He shot her a sly smile.

She stifled a giggle. "It is different than the Gentle Fist. It isn't supposed to shut down or activate chakra points. It is meant to help heal another person by working with their chakra. Not many Hyuuga practice it, anymore."

Naruto thought for a moment. "So... That really was you..." His mind drifted beyond his words.

The blush on Hinata's cheeks accentuated a curt nod.

Naruto felt himself react on pure instinct. Before he could fully comprehend his actions, he had positioned himself next to her, wrapping both his arms awkwardly around her. He tried to find words as memories of her gentleness played without form through his mind. Words... Words simply didn't exist. There was only one thing he knew. "Hinata..." he said, reinforcing his embrace around a shocked Hyuuga "Someone as gentle and amazing as you are deserves to be happy."

Naruto felt a pair of hesitant hands trail up the sides of his back before settling in a gentle embrace. "And a person as bold and inspiring as you should not have to be alone, Naruto." Somewhat to Naruto's surprise, she shifted to allow for a more proper embrace. A chill Naruto had long stopped shivering from faded before a new warmth flooded over the blonde. Even the vaccant spanse of the crater felt full with the young Hyuuga in his arms.

* * *

A patch of blonde hair tickled the Hyuuga's neck as its owner shifted. Hinata smiled, a touch of contentment warming her features. The Naruto who looked so tortured an hour ago was now peacefully asleep on her shoulder. Looking at him, Hinata couldn't help but think it was the first time he'd truly slept in a very long time. A more instinctive part of her was absolutely elated to be the one to settle Naruto's fears, but she quickly cautioned herself of such a mundane thought. Naruto's happiness is what was important, not her importance to him.

It was odd, though. She certainly thought she would be more nervous, to be scared, to be 'Hinata.' Sure, it was a bit different and more awkward than she had imagined it would be. Naruto's hip had found a way to pinch her thigh and drive her whole leg to go to sleep after she'd cradled him almost like a baby, but her heart wasn't hammering in her chest, she was pretty sure she hadn't fainted, it was as if this was a normal thing. Once she knew what Naruto needed, it all just flowed naturally.

Hinata tightened her embrace for a moment, reveling in the sensation of the blonde's presence. "Perhaps," she whispered "I have been alone, too."

The young Hyuuga looked up into the sky, admiring the features of the full moon. _Even the light must return to shadow._

* * *

Hiashi took a protracted breath, soaking in the aroma of the tea before him. He liked to think he could touch the depths of sleep even when he had to be awake. The old Hyuuga never did figure out how to become one of those 'morning people.'

"Uncle," Neji started across from him. "I am concerned about Lady Hinata."

Hiashi let the tea wash over his tongue, savoring the slight tinge of bitterness as the liquid left a soothing sensation in his throat. The pollen this spring was promising to be a torture to his sinuses. "Is this above and beyond the normal concerns?"

Neji seemed to sharpen his brow, halting his tea just beneath his chin. "She has been acting a bit... Lost." He allowed Hiashi to finish another sip of tea before continuing. "Ko has also expressed his concerns."

"Has he?" Hiashi allowed himself to sound amused as he poured another round of tea.

"He was there when Lady Hinata..." Neji seemed to be searching for a word.

"When she chose to sacrifice herself for the Kyuubi container." Hiashi completed for him.

The younger Hyuuga seemed to pause for a moment. "Uncle... I believe Naruto deserves more consideration than such a title implies. He-"

"Then do not hesitate to use his proper name." Hiashi interrupted to look straight at Neji. He paused before returning to his tea-sipping ritual. "If you are going to use the darker arts of diplomacy, you will not get very far by so obviously betraying your true beliefs."

There was a knock at the door. "Lord Hiashi..." Ko's voice could be heard from the other side.

"You may enter, Ko." Hiashi instructed.

The door slid open, Ko gave a brief bow "Lord Hia-"

Hiashi's brow furled. "Ko, how many times do I have to tell you not to waste my time? Join us at the table." The older Hyuuga caught Neji bury a smile into his tea glass as Hiashi poured the new arrival a cup of his own.

The branch member seemed to be mildly confused as he walked to take a position next to Neji. "Thank you, Lord Hiashi." His eyes darted around and his posture shifted continually.

"Tea calms the nerves, Ko. Perhaps you should have some before you tell the tale of how you came to seek my council." Hiashi deliberately placed himself into a meditative posture.

Ko warily raised the tea, obviously suspicious of the whole ordeal. "This morning, a few of the servants reported that Lady Hinata was not in her quarters."

The elder Hyuuga looked at Ko through lidded eyes. "And what has become of my daughter?"

Ko nearly choked on his tea. "No harm has come to Lady Hinata, Lord Hiashi!" He fumbled with his cup for a moment.

Hiashi seized the opportunity. "Forgive me, such an obviously nervous person who starts his visit with such information..."

"W-Well..." Ko eyed the table as if it were ice to be treaded. "I managed to locate Lady Hinata early thismorning in the company of the Uzumaki boy."

"Interesting..." Hiashi laced amusement into his voice while dropping to a dangerous tone. "I sincerely hope she was not bringing shame upon the Hyuuga."

Ko almost spilled his tea. "Nothing of the sort, Lord Hiashi!" He fumbled for a moment, shifting his position. "Lady Hinata would never be so indecent." Neji seemed to shift uncomfortably. "It is just that the Uzumaki boy is..."

Hiashi allowed himself to perk an eyebrow in Ko's direction. "Is...?" He prompted.

There were several tense moments, the click of pendulum shifts could be heard against the backdrop of bird chirping. "I believe Ko is expressing concern over Naruto being seen with such a close affiliation to a Hyuuga member, Uncle." Neji offered.

Hiashi leveled a gaze at Ko. "Is that your concern?"

Ko sat stiffly, eyes studying the hands braced firmly on his knees. "Yes, Lord Hiashi. I - I tried warning her-"

Hiahsi couldn't hold back any longer. He allowed himself to interrupt Ko with a round of hearty laughter. Neji averted his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Ko, for his part, just stared blankly. "Oh, forgive me. It's been so long since I've laughed like that." Hiashi choked. "I think Hinata has made it clear that we would have to kill her to keep her from seeing the boy."

"I ... Expected a bit more resistance." Ko sounded utterly bewildered.

"I believe, Ko, that Uncle has expected this to happen for quite some time." Neji offered in his typically cool tone.

"I suspected it amidst Hinata's participation in her first Chuunin exams. Those two resonate with the same destiny." Hiashi confirmed. In truth, he'd begun to suspect something even back in the days of the academy. It became clear to him that something far more fundamental than training was affecting his daughter. It wasn't until the Chuunin exams that he realized specifically what was going on.

Ko had sharpened his brows, his lips curled slightly; "Then... All of this time... I should have-"

"Ko, do not fault yourself. Things are as they should be." Hiashi interrupted. His breath halted for a minute as he shifted to stand. The old Hyuuga turned, allowing his gaze to fall upon the old family portrait hanging on the wall. He could feel the awkward stares of Neji and Ko behind him. "This does all bring up a very interesting question, though."

Neji seemed to catch on, "I have often wondered how Naruto came to be selected as the host of the Kyuubi, myself."

"I am not sure I understand..." Ko rustled.

"While I am sure there were many orphans made that day" Hiashi strode to the far side of the room. "It would still be odd for The Fourth to grab just any screaming infant he found and decide to seal a demon inside him." Hiashi had been a part of the council discussions in the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack. There had been a hell of a lot of unknowns and The Third Hokage made damned sure to keep it that way.

"Are you suggesting...?" Ko drifted beyond his words.

"One thing is for certain." Hiashi slid open the large exterior bay. "The Uzumaki boy is far more than a run of the mill orphan. I believe it is time for his lineage to come to light."

* * *

Author's After-word:

Those of you coming from Dynamics of A Future will recognize some plot elements, here. I think some of you will immediately realize why I decided that my understanding of the Hyuuga has developed to the point that a complete re-draft is necessary. I also plan to address the recovery and build-up to war (am I the only one who noticed that the Leaf looked completely rebuilt in the latest chapter - complete with the Hokage's office? ).

So, what happened to Dynamics of A Future? A lot. When I first started the series, I had a relatively shallow grasp of the Hyuuga and of the events that created the Naruto universe. The more I analyzed the drafts of Kishimoto's work and analyzed the development of his main character, as well as a few other oddities... The more profound the implications were.

I've read many stories centering around the Hyuuga... And while many authors do a good job of making a particular character like Hinata or Neji work/fit... They always have a very awkward and static Hyuuga clan. Granted, Kishimoto doesn't give us much to work with - but no one seems to quite know what to do with the Hyuuga as a whole.

There is a lot I want to develop in this story, the hardest part will be resisting the temptation to spew it all out in a frantic mess as opposed to integrating it into a deeper environment. We've all read those stories that would have been great... Except the author structures things to tell us about the story rather than experience the story.

For those who are fellow authors and/or aspiring authors - there is a critical difference between talking about a story and telling a story. "Naruto was disappointed, he wanted the candy" is a relatively flat statement. "Naruto stamped his foot, that candy would have really hit the spot" is a statement that allows the reader to perceive a behavior that implies disappointment.

That isn't to say that direct/flat statements are bad, but that too many of them can make a great story a poor reading experience. In a similar way, explaining everything that goes on in the story directly or all at once can do the same thing.

Regardless, I have prattled on far longer than necessary. Like the story? Love it? Hate it? Think I should draw and quarter myself in the town square? All reviews are welcome and appreciated.


	2. 02: Origin

Foreword:

Yeah. Stuff. Things. Here's the story:

* * *

A Destiny Entwined

Chapter Two: Origin

Tree leaves on the other side of the window could be made out on the deep, red surface of the large glass beads staring at her. "Kagome..." the founding female of Team Seven grumbled, pushing the vulpine plushie aside "He is not a god damned fox."

"Come on, Sakura." The girl's jet black hair flipped in a manner deserving of the pony-tail wear style. "The Fourth Hokage just happened to find some random toddler to seal the Kyuubi-No-Kit-Fucking-Sune into?"

"We've been over this, Kagome." Sakura growled. Ever since Naruto went fox-shit and saved the day, every girl in the whole of the fire country seemed to take an unhealthy interest in the medic ninja's team mate.

Kagome adjusted her glasses with her middle finger. "Then who were his parents?"

"I don't know - probably some genin couple who got obliterated in the Kyuubi's attack." Sakura bit her lip. She really could have worded that better. "There wasn't exactly a shortage of orphans after all of that mess."

"But a newborn? What are the odds that a newborn wouldn't be blown away with the mother?" Kagome pressed.

Sakura slapped her hands on the table. "Okay - so The Fourth somehow sealed the Kyuubi into looking like a human." The pinkette rolled her eyes. "So... What? Do you think you're going to teach a ferral beast to love over a bowl of ramen, or something?"

"N-no..." The younger girl looked down.

"I suppose it isn't enough that he is one of the few ninja who can create valleys out of mountains... He has to be some kind of hanyou, or something, to be worth pursuing." Sakura scoffed, slamming the seal down onto another set of records.

The reply was a soft one. "I didn't mean it like that."

Sakura sighed. "Just... Trust me. Naruto and that... That... _Thing_ are two different entities." Kagome's eyes were locked on Sakura as she continued. "The fox is the essence of malice born from the purest of contempt, steeped in cynicism. I've seen what happens to Naruto when ... It... Comes out. I am not sure he would find all of these kitsune plushies so endearing."

Kagome seemed to lose herself in thought as she began sliding paperwork into folders. "But... What if his evil self was sealed inside of hi-"

"God damnit, Kagome" Sakura interrupted. "I will admit that you are a good secretary, but if I hear about this one more time today, I'm going to make you a research subject."

* * *

The blonde felt his arm go numb before he somersaulted back and away from the threat. _Train with Hinata, I said. It would be fun, I said. _A purple streak clung to his retreat and Naruto felt two strikes glance off of his abdomen. He completed the substitution just in time, swapping places with a shadow clone not at all too soon.

The blonde took a few moments to steady himself. Naruto smiled as a small trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. _I must be one of those massochists_. Solid strikes, glancing strikes... With Hinata, none of it really mattered. There was something absolutely beautiful about the way she was utterly destroying his shadow clone, right now. The Hyuuga's hands would flow smoothly in oblique arcs before snapping her fingers into their target.

Her raven locks flared as she circled to face him before they disappeared behind her piercing gaze. She covered the distance almost instantly, her first strikes were coming almost as fast as he realized her change of direction. Naruto grunted, thrusting his already numb arm into her strikes. As she rotated to rebound her attack, Naruto swept low, catching her left calf. Hinata's balance shifted, and the blonde seized the opportunity, dropping his hip into hers.

He hit the ground with a dull "Ow...," taking the opportunity to watch as a few blades of grass swayed with his breath. Hinata's legs shifted under his own. "Are you okay, Hinata?"

"Y-You're the one bleeding, Naruto." Her voice almost tickled the back of his neck.

Naruto shifted, propping himself into a reclined position with his good arm. Hinata was still laying on her back, her breathing labored and her hair sprawled like a sheet over sprigs of grass. "That is why I was asking. I've made myself bleed enough to know how much it takes out of you."

The girl giggled. "I-I suppose that is one way to look at it." She rolled to her side to face the Uzumaki. "Thank you, Naruto... For training with me today.. A-And just, everything."

The young man couldn't help but smile. Somehow, the girl's words of thanks touched something deeper. "You're welcome, Hinata." His smile faded, though, when he saw the look in her eyes. _Disgust? But why would Hina-_

"H-here," She started toward him. "Th-There is still some internal bleeding."

Naruto didn't have time to process, much less protest what was happening. Hinata's hands firmly pushed him onto his back. "Hina-"

"This will only take a minute." Her voice mirrored Neji's detached coolness.

Then he felt it, that gentle whisp that was Hinata's chakra. It spoke a language devoid of form but absolute in its message. Though he didn't know what to say, he knew how to answer. His chakra flared, answering the call of his precious friend.

Her response didn't translate into anything but motion. He moved his chakra in accordance to hers. Perhaps it could be described as a dance... Or she was singing and he was dancing. The whole affair was beyond physical description but still felt as natural as walking or breathing. Soon, the song started to wind to a close; the sunset's parting breath ushering in the stillness of night.

The blonde sat back up and looked at the Hyuuga, a mild blush lit her skin and her eyes refused to make contact. He briefly noted that he was no longer numb. The sharp pang in his stomach was also gone. "Hinata... I didn't know you knew healing jutsu."

The girl shook her head. "I-It isn't a jutsu. I-It's much older."

Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder. "Still, thank you for healing me."

The Hyuuga seemed to pause with uncertainty. "I didn't heal you. Your chakra did all of the work."

"I ... I don't think I understand." The blonde rubbed the back of his head with a smile.

Hinata stood, extending a hand to help the blonde up. Naruto took it, bouncing up to her side. "You know how Ninjutsu works, don't you?" The girl asked.

"Uh... Well, there was something about chakra, and mixing it with our stamina, or something." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, again as the Hyuuga looked at him with blank eyes. Naruto knew he was not much of an academic. He was sure there was more to ninjutsu than fancy finger shapes and 'good vibes' (even with the proper hand signs, a jutsu performed with 'bad' or 'confused' chakra sensations could come out less than ideal)... But Naruto was content to leave that to people like Shikamaru.

The Hyuuga nodded, leading the two out of the training grounds. "Ninjutsu combines the physical energies of the body with the life energies of the body." Naruto felt her grab his arm and a strange buzzing sensation run through it. "My family's Gentle Fist style is the art of using our life energies to disrupt the life energies of others."

Naruto didn't pretend to understand exactly how Neji had beaten the shit out of him. To be honest, he didn't exactly understand how he'd defeated Neji, either. Neji could see through everything, yet had been too arrogant to look under his feet - or that is all Naruto could figure. "So... You use your chakra to mess with other people's chakra..." Then Naruto thought he understood: "So, that thing you do is like the Gentle Fist, but not meant to hurt people?"

Hinata nodded again, ducking under a low-hanging tree branch. "It isn't as popular as the combat arts, but it's been with our family for as long as records of us exist. The organization of the Ninja Villages favors combat and our family has become more reliant upon the Leaf's medical ninja."

Naruto's gait deepened as the two tackled one of the steep embankements on the path. "But you said it wasn't a healing jutsu."

"It isn't." Hinata paused to look at the sky. A gentle rustling sound preceded the drop of water that struck Naruto in the forehead. "Healing, or Medical, Ninjutsu use one's own life energies directly on the physical energies of another person. One uses their energy to force a body into healing wounds."

The blonde tasted a bit of salt as a drop streaked from his hair and into the corner of his mouth. "I bet you would do great with medical ninjutsu, Hinata! Perhaps you and Sakura could -"

"Naruto," Her voice weaved through the dull roar of rain upon leaves. "I-I appreciate your confidence, b-but Ninjutsu is not natural to a Hyuuga."

The blonde silently scratched the back of his neck. Her tone implied he'd broached on some kind of heresy, or something. Ninja not learning Ninjutsu seemed like a contradiction in terms. The blonde sighed. Best to place this piece of the Hinata puzzle into the "weird - is this even from the same puzzle" box, with just about all of the other pieces he had so far."

"Uh... Well, is ramen natural to a Hyuuga?" He asked, sheepishly.

The girl's eyes swelled to the size of ramen bowls. "I-I ..." She huffed and stomped her foot "I would be honored!"

* * *

"Forgive my disturbance, Lord Nara." Hiashi bowed.

"Lord Hyuuga, you and I have known each other long enough. I find formalities more troublesome than they are worth, especially between friends." Shikaku drawled. "I have the Shogi table set up, if you would like."

Hiashi smiled. "It has been quite some time since I had a decent challenge."

Shikaku held the canvas of the tent open "I apologize for my lack of more proper accomodations."

"As you should." Hiashi ducked into the temporary Nara compound. "Any respectable Nara would have foreseen this event and planned accordingly." The canvas glowed in the late morning sunlight, a few shadows danced over the covering. Opposite the foot of the bedroll sat a shogi board atop a table set for kneeling.

Shikaku laughed, offering the Hyuuga a kneeling place before the low rising table. "With a sense of humor like that, it is no wonder most of Konoha thinks you're a supreme prick."

Hiashi perked an eyebrow and perked up on his knees "There are those who don't?"

The Nara settled in across from Hiashi "Well, for someone who isn't an Uchiha, you do a damned fine job."

"Of being a prick, or illusionary arts?"

"I will just say 'yes.'" Sikaku's eyes looked up from under his brow.

There was a time, Hiashi recalled, when he believed Shogi was just a game of egotistical armchair generals. He quietly activated his Byakugan. He learned, however, that hobbies shared by powerful men is less about the hobby and more about the power. Business owners in other lands didn't get together to hit little round balls with sticks because it was actually entertaining for them.

His career in service to the Leaf's ninja ranks gave him a slightly different perspective on things. When he saw business leaders playing a game that involved traveling across thousands of meters in wide open fields - he didn't see 'silly rich people.' He saw a nightmare of an espionage mission.

Speaking of... Hiashi lauded Danzo's passion for espionage and tactful subtlety, he really did. The man really had a passion for defending the Leaf. And, By Kami, if there was a soul in the Leaf who knew about a threat to the Leaf, Danzo knew, too. And therein lay the problem with Danzo. Hiashi was fairly certain Danzo had a record of how many times the Hyuuga leader had defecated - no doubt justifying the record as a means of spotting irregularities that could indicate poisoning or an impostor, or something. Regardless, the man spent more time holding the Leaf in contempt than he did maintaining useful spy networks. The fact that Jiraiya had single-handedly amassed a human intelligence network more effective than what ROOT's resources could muster spoke volumes about what the organization had become.

Hence why Shogi was such a great game.

The two men set their Kings, Generals, and Knights. "So, how is the family? Any suitors for Hinata?" Shikaku thinly veiled the question.

"No." Hiashi de-activated his Byakugan and set down his Lances, followed by the Angle. Shikaku also followed the Ohashi set-up. It was a simple signal the two had developed over the years. The two would set up the boards following Ito or Ohashi setup orders based on their knowledge or suspicion of being under observation. Starting with the Lances, as opposed to Pawns, meant you felt you were under observation.

"The elders are being eerily quiet about suggesting an arrangement." Hiashi continued, having finished setting up the board. "I am sure," he hovered his hand over the king, as if pondering the move "recent actions" without pausing, his hand drifted away "have given them much to think about." He moved the silver general in the right-hand formation. Recent events - daughter. "How are things going in yours? Shikamaru seems to have developed quite the reputation, so far."

Shikaku stroked his beard, moving a pawn. "Like most young men, his knowledge surpasses his wisdom. But that will come in time."

Hiashi contemplated with his hand over the angle. "Well, that is to be expected, given his lineage." He moved the same silver general, again. "He is prone to such pursuits." The system wasn't exactly a hard-coded science. There was a considerable amount of interpretation involved, and a fair amount of the communication involved could simply be confirming that the interpretation was correct.

Shikaku leveled his eyes at Hiashi. Undoubtedly, he'd picked up on the subject. Technically, discussing matters of the Kyuubi and Naruto were still considered classified. The number of people who knew... Or were supposed to know... The truth were few and far between. The Nara, historically, were given access to just about any information or discussion simply because it always proved futile to try to keep secrets from them. Danzo would be able to produce evidence that the two spoke, even if he couldn't prove what about. Hiashi knew if he were to get any information, it would likely be cursory references to where he could go to compile the truth - a means of engineering plausible deniability.

Shikaku moved another pawn with no additional gestures. "As are we all." He stroked his chin. "So, tell me what you think of the council's decision to appoint Danzo as the interim Hokage."

"I believe you know what I think." Hiashi advanced a pawn. "Dazno is sure to be pleased with it. I am honestly concerned, though. While I believe the man has a great passion for the Leaf, it is hard to see his orders to reserve ROOT units even after the decimation of our forces as anything other than plotting a coupe."

Sikaku's hand hovered over a lance. "It would certainly seem that his ambitions have blinded him." His hand moved away. "His philosophy has caused him to embrace any means to achieve an end any man would find noble." Another pawn was moved.

"I think we can both agree to that point." Hiashi picked up on Shikaku's warning. "So, tell me, are the rumors about Shikamaru and that sand ninja true?" Hiashi advanced a pawn.

"Those two are too smart to realize that they are." Shikaku laughed. Hiashi couldn't help but realize how the destruction and reconstruction were both white elephants in the room for the two.

* * *

Hinata felt a bit of heat rise in her cheeks as Naruto turned, holding the canvas at bay for her. "Th-Thankyou" her voice came out a bit higher than intended.

The blonde just smiled and rubbed the back of his neck as the Hyuuga stepped through. One man, apparently a construction worker, sat at the far end of the stall. Hinata didn't see anyone behind the counter. "Hey, Old man!" Naruto bellowed, having entered behind her.

Hinata felt herself cringe. "N-Naruto, shouldn't you be more-"

"Well if it isn't our hero!" A young girl came out from the back room. Hinata noticed the girl's eyes pass over her before darting back. "A-and Lady Hyuuga! It's an honor."

"Uh, Thank you." Hinata fumbled with her hands a moment. Honestly, she wished her family's reputation would cease preceding her.

Naruto ushered Hinata to sit down at the bar, joining her at the next. "Is it just you today, Ayame?" Naruto asked.

"Father will be back in a little bit. These construction workers pay very well, but they've run us out of change." Hinata felt Naruto shifting next to her and saw he was digging for his wallet. "Oh, no!" Ayame held up her hands. "It's on the house for you two. We would be back with our family in Rice country if it weren't for your shadow clones digging our fryers out of the rubble. And... Well... Dead, if you hadn't ... Whatever it was you did. That was the weirdest experience I've ever had."

"Ah... Well, you should really thank Nagato for that." Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"B-But if you wouldn't have..." Hinata let herself trail off, feeling like she interrupted.

"Lady Hyuuga is right, _Lord Uzumaki._" Ayame teased... Or was it flirting? Hinata squashed the possessive instinct rising in her core. She was not so insecure as to think Naruto's friends needed to be regulated. The girl made her Naruto's favorite ramen day after day - if Naruto was going to go for her, it would be a done deal. Which led Hinata to a somewhat heartbreaking thought. Ayame seemed like a nice girl, and she did deserve a good man... She certainly hoped losing Naruto wouldn't hurt her too much.

Hinata sighed. How arrogant could she be, assuming Naruto was already off the market...

"Uh... Can I get you something, Lady Hyuuga." Ayame's voice broke through.

Hinata realized she'd zoned out. She felt more heat rise to her cheeks and sweep down her chest. "Uh... Uhm..." The menu board may as well have been one of the Word Search problems her father seemed obsessed with. He'd spend hours staring at the unopened book of them through his Byakugan.

She felt Naruto's arm press against hers. "The Miso Ramen is a good start." He said, softly.

"Y-Yeah... I'll just start with some Miso Ramen, please." Hinata felt the heat in her cheeks intensify.

"Alright, I will be right back with that." Ayame turned and walked into the back room.

A few silent, but comfortable moments passed. She enjoyed being able to feel Naruto's presence on her arm, and the gentle pressure both seemed to be putting into it. She couldn't think of much to say, at the moment, but the contact let her know that it was okay.

"E-Excuse me." The man at the other end of the bar spoke up. His voice spoke about a decade older than the two late teenagers. "Did I hear correctly? You are the Hero of the Leaf, Naruto Uzumaki?"

Naruto turned. "Uh... Yeah, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." His hand stretched to scratch the back of his neck. Hinata couldn't help but marvel at how the blonde would so frequently and brazenly announce his name and presence to get attention. Now that he got the admiration he'd desired as a kid, he seemed as though he had no idea what to do with it.

The man stood and approached. "Uh, I know this is awkward, but..." He pulled some kind of orange stuffed toy out of his pack "I'm from Wave country. My niece was there when you put an end to Gato's tyranny. She is turning eleven this year, and, well - if... If you'd sign this, it would make her day." The man presented a vulpine plushie with nine fluffy tails.

The Leaf's various clothing and souvenir lines had immediately capitalized on the fox as a symbol of their triumph over the attack. The residents of the Leaf were a bit reluctant to embrace it, for obvious reasons, but Fire Country and foreign travelers on the whole snapped these plush toys up like candy.

"Uh... Sure." Naruto took the plush toy as the man approached, turning it over to find the tag. Hinata noted that he paused in thought, pursing his lips before writing what had to be more than a simple signature.

"Thank you very much." The man had a smile rivaling Naruto's. "This will really mean a lot to her."

"Ah, well, any time, you know?" Naruto smiled back, returning the small stuffed animal. The man gave an awkward bow before ducking out of the stall.

Hinata couldn't resist giving Naruto a reassuring nudge as he sat back down. "You really did make his day."

"I know... But it's just so... Weird. I'm not used to being..." The blonde seemed to fade.

"Special?" Hinata offered, feeling as if her heart wrapped around the young man.

"Yeah..." Naruto sighed, studying the table.

Hinata wished the stool wasn't bolted to the floor, sliding her arm around his. "You have always been special, Naruto. Before your strength as a ninja of the Leaf, there is your warmth." She held his arm a bit tighter in her own. "You see the best in people, even when they have given up hope. You stand for what is right and against what is wrong."

"Hinata..." Naruto looked back at her, obviously lost for words. "You really are a great person." He seemed to settle.

"Well," Ayame lofted as she strode behind the counter. "Now that is impressive." Naruto and Hinata exchanged a puzzled glance. "Not many people can leave that boy speechless." She set the bowls of ramen down in front of her guests.

Hinata felt heat rise into her cheeks again. "I-I was just..."

Ayame waved her hand slightly. "It's a good thing. He can talk too much." A cry of protest could be heard from the Uzumaki. "It's just amazing how you do it so naturally."

"I ... Uh... Thankyou." Hinata never knew how to react to these types of scenarios.

"It's my pleasure Lady Hyuuga." There was that formality again. That was one thing about Naruto... No one ever had to question whether or not he was showing respect for the person in front of him, or the family they came from. She could only imagine what kind of catastrophe her crush would cause inside the Hyuuga compound. He had the diplomatic skills of Shinra Tensei...

"Well," Ayame broke thee temporary silence "I have work to do in the back. If you two need anything, just holler." Hinata swore she saw the girl smirk as she turned and walked into the back.

The Hyuuga turned toward her Uzumaki counterpart, and about fell out of her seat. His face was the model expression of the cat who ate the bird - his mouth, while pursed around a fountain of noodles, was somewhat crestfallen and his eyes held the open expression of panic. "... But I was just so hungry..." He groaned, muffled behind the noodles.

Hinata couldn't help it. She felt her body convulse in pure, unrestrained laughter. She really wasn't sure what, exactly, was so funny about it - Naruto digging into food the very moment it arrived was expected. It just had to be the combination of his adorable expression, reaction, and the situation.

By the time her laughter started to die down, the corners of her mouth tingled, protesting their return to a normal state. Naruto had slurped down the noodles and was looking at her with his head slightly tilted. "Wow... I don't think I've ever heard you laugh like that." He smiled. "That was awesome!"

_Did... Did he do that on purpose?_ Hinata felt heat rise in her cheeks, again. "W-well..."

"You should laugh like that more often, it's adorable." Naruto shifted his gaze into the distance before ensnaring more noodles in his chopsticks.

The young hyuuga simply blushed before a rumbling in her stomach made her jump. Quickly, she broke apart her chopsticks, said a small prayer, and savored the salty broth that clung to the noodles. Hyuuga weren't exactly vegan - but much of their 'traditional' diet was based around plants. The Hyuuga were, however, practical. The 'practical diet' simply tried to limit high consumption of simple carbohydrates.

"Naruto?" Hinata remembered an old question.

"Yeah?" He raised his bowl to drink the broth.

The girl couldn't help but find his pace of eating somewhat ridiculous. "If you don't mind me asking, what did you write, earlier?"

Naruto set down the bowl, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. He looked into the corner of the room, eyes distant. "Well... At first, I had no idea what to write. Then I thought about the nights I spent alone," Hinata's heart fell. "when I would cling to anything just to feel like something, or someone, was there. I just thought about something that would have helped to see."

Hinata realized she had Naruto wrapped in an embrace in her left arm. "Naruto..." _You don't have to be alone, anymore._

* * *

Sakura strode through the tunnels, dodging past a few workers who were busy pulling bundles of wire tight against the wall. The original hospital was just about at the center of the crater that used to be Konoha. The vast tunnel network dug behind the Hokage monuments served as a store of supplies with plenty of room to rig it into whatever was deemed necessary. Danzo had, over the years, acquired a massive stockpile of medical equipment. Many of the medications were, technically, expired - but were better than nothing. The most fresh of the supplies were spared for treating emergency and intensive cases where impotent or superpotent doses were particularly risky.

It was an odd thought; thankfully, Nagato killed most people, so when they were brought back to life, demand on medical resources was low. At least, compared to what would be expected with the village reduced to a crater. That left most of the time to pulling records from the hardened archives and transferring them to operating copies. She rounded the corner into her 'office.' "Kagome, how are the-" Haruno's voice caught in her throat.

"Greetings, Miss Haruno." The alien figure before her gave a slight bow. "It is my understanding that you treated my daughter for injuries that would most certainly have been fatal. Please forgive my neglect in expressing my gratitude."

Sakura's eyes found Kagome, who seemed to be giving her a 'see what I was putting up with while you were gone' look. "Well, I was just doing my duty - it was the least I could do." _How in the hell did he get in here?_

"Quite. My daughter would be beside herself with grief had you strained yourself." The Hyuuga seemed to eye her with indifference.

_What the hell?_ "That... Isn't what I meant, Lord Hyuuga." Sakura let a little bit of grief slip into her tone.

"Good, now that we've established not to pay attention to anything you say - perhaps you can help me with something." The Hyuuga turned, as if leading some kind of charge.

Sakura just stared, somewhat dumbfounded in a unique combination of pissed and amused. It was no wonder Tsunade hated dealing with this man. Her eyes found Kagome's, again. They screamed: "_See!?_'".

"Miss Zato, here, has been most patient with me. I understand that my presence tends to be quite taxing, and she has borne it with the best of any shinobi I have known." Hiashi said, fumbling through a small suitcase.

_God damnit... He reads minds, now?_ Sakura cursed in her head. Hiashi returned, extending a small folder toward her.

"Your expressions are quite clear for me to see, Miss Haruno. Rest assured that I do not read minds." Hiashi finished, smartly.

_... Like that is reassuring?_ Sakura grabbed the folder. "Alright, enough of the mind fuck, Hyuuga. What do you want?" She opened the folder ahead of his response. She'd been on the receiving end of a Yamanaka's competitive spirit far too often for this to work. This was her office, her domain - fuck him and whatever sadistic bullshit this was.

"Now that we are being straight with each other... I was hoping to see if there are any medical records pertaining to pregnancy for those individuals within the given time frame." The Hyuuga's eyes held a firmness to them.

"You know that I can't just give you records like that. Not without direct orders from the council or the hokage." Sakura said, flipping through the list of individuals. Immediately there was a trend, and she didn't like it.

"And I suppose it would be frivolous of me to ask for a favor." He paused, but not quick enough for either of the girls to respond. "Very well. I shall be on my way, then." Hiashi snapped his suitcase closed. "Please, forgive my intrusion." And the Hyuuga left.

Sakura watched the entry way for a few more moments, eyebrow perked, pages still flipped in her hand.

"Well, that was pretty damned weird." Kagome said, returning to some filing work she was doing.

"Yeah..." Sakura's voice faded as she looked back down at the list. "Hey, Kagome... Do you still think he's a fox?"

* * *

Hinata's sigh was lost amidst the shouts of workers and thuds of hammering. The night before and today had been, hands down, the best in her memory. She walked mostly aimlessly, not ready to go home, but not really feeling the need to be anywhere in particular. She crossed a hastily erected bridge that spanned a small creek that was making its way through the crater. Now that there wasn't a city there, it wasn't a bad spot for a lake.

The Leaf never would be the same. The blast hadn't devastated the entire village - many of the outlying structures and compounds were mostly intact - the Hyuuga compound included. Most of the city had decided to develop North (or 'left') of the Hokage monument amidst the reconstruction. Much of the southern development had been dominated by the Uchiha, which likely explained the lack of vigorous reconstruction, there.

She propped herself against a railing overlooking the crater. Not a day ago, she looked at this world as if it was alien - something foreign, even illegal. The dead should not linger past their time and meddle in affairs not of their own. But, looking out over it now... It seemed ... Natural. She could see a forest-lined lake stretching into the west with the Uchiha compound worked into a sort of historical preserve to the south. The village would stretch into the North with lights that would dance across the mirrored surface of the lake.

Hinata smiled, pushing herself up from the railing. Even if she hadn't lived, it was nice to know that something good could have come in the wake of her departure. As the sun began to arc into the late afternoon, the Uchiha compound loomed in a state of scattered shadows and luminous color. Hinata narrowed her left brow at it. There was something there to be learned. What, she didn't know... But it was time to indulge in curiosity.

* * *

The blonde made his way through the busy streets. Carts of supplies were constantly in motion, workers were busy shouting over each other, and just about anyone with anything to sell had quickly learned how to sell out of a backpack in the absence of a store-front. He'd donned a simple henge jutsu. Not only was it nearly impossible to move about as "The Hero of the Leaf," it was best that his identity be ambiguous for the time being. Jiraiya had taught him a few things about being discreet.

He wandered past the multistory apartment constructions, past the rebuilding restaurants, and rounded the new power sub-station. Naruto didn't understand much about electronics, but he did know that particular complex had come at quite the premium. One of the workers had told his shadow-clones that there really was no 'supply' of the main components. The transformers were built to order, and often on-site. It was quite a headache when one failed... Or blew up.

He stopped short of his destination. He couldn't help but give half a chuckle at how things worked. There were some things that society awkwardly prioritized. The neon light flashed back and forth in a simple animation of a girl slipping open a kimono. Some habits, as they say, die hard.

* * *

Hinata poked her head in through the double doors of the Uchiha compound. The doors opened into a cavernous hall that felt more like the lobby to a grand hotel than a family compound. By comparison, the Hyuuga entry and immediate transition into a maze of hallways was conjested.

A few shards of glass crunched under her feet. The compound hadn't escaped unscathed. An abandoned compound was understandably low on the priority list for reconstruction, but Hinata couldn't help but mourn the inevitable damage and loss of history. It was a selfish desire, she knew. The old had to yield to the new, everything was a sand sculpture in the sea of time... But she supposed it was natural to long to understand the past.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting long, oblong shadows across the compound as she explored. The courtyard used to be maintained before Pain's attack, but was quickly growing out of control. Vines threatened to climb through broken glass and leaves began to collect in corners. The telltale song of a whip-poor-will echoed through the halls as a few frogs began to sing.

The whole thing gave it an odd sense... What would have been depressing and even haunting simply seemed tranquil. From what Hinata knew of history - the Uchiha had always been very tense and wary. While their end was tragic, a peacefulness had come in its place.

The sun was now set, and the young Hyuuga was getting frustrated. What had to have been nearly two hours of picking through old studies, bedrooms, and _two_ kitchens yielded nothing but the understanding that the Uchiha were very self-important people. It was time for drastic measures as she activated her Byakugan.

She swept her consciousness through her vision. There was one spot that stood out to her - a sitting room built into a hallway junction. Narrowing her focus on it, it appeared as if there were a trap door and tunnel that lead to... She had to cycle and strain her vision to see through the odd stone construction... _A... Monument?_

That certainly seemed to be a more likely spot to learn something.

Leaving her Byakugan active, she made her way through the darkened hallway to the trap door. It was remarkably simple, and Hinata guessed that any Uchiha worth his tomoe would immediately spot the razor-thin line in the floorboards that marked it. As she made her way down into the depths, she noted that the walls were made of an unusual stone. It seemed to cloud her vision, somewhat. It wasn't impossible for the Byakugan to see through, but it certainly interfered with it. She couldn't tell for certain, but it would probably interfere with most techniques that involve chakra.

The existence and appearance of this room gave the whole "the Uchiha were a dangerous cult" conspiracy theory a lot of credence, Hinata had to admit. There was discussion among some circles that the Uchiha Massacre was some kind of inside Anbu or ROOT operation. Some of them argued that the Uchiha were planning a coupe. Others suggested the Uchiha were practicing child sacrifices. Some even argued that they had taken up Jashinism. Still others insisted the Third Hokage was suppressing political opposition or that he felt he could no longer maintain control over the Ninja clans in his old age.

Hinata entered the room at the end of the tunnel. In its center sat a tablet. The young Hyuuga approached, sharpening her vision to read the characters scribed into it.

"In the beginning, one God became two."

The words crashed and flashed through her mind. _One god became two... ONE God became TWO... _

_**ONE BECAME TWO**_

Then there was darkness.

* * *

"Just admit it, already. He's a fox." Kagome sang.

Sakura clenched her fist. Hours. Hours of digging through these records. She was pretty sure what the Hyuuga was after, and she'd be damned if he found out before her in some other way. No, she wouldn't give him records, and she damned sure wouldn't tell him anything - but this was a matter of principle. If all it took was a simple look through medical records to- "Damnit, Kagome. Are we stupid?"

Kagome's pony tail shifted off of her tilted head, lips parted halfway around a sucker. "What do you mean?" The stick bobbled as she snapped the elastic band holding her hair together. "... Wait, you mean you've been looking through Uzumaki files?"

Sakura tilted her head. "Where have you been looking?"

"Well, obviously for a misfile or something. The council may be incompetent, but Danzo was tasked with cleaning up the records of Naruto." Kagome returned to digging through records.

"... How the hell did you know that?" Sakura walked closer to her secretary.

"I took a moment to look at the access logs to the records before we left. Danzo wasn't mentioned, specifically, but many of these records have entries that simply couldn't be in here without someone having accessed them outside the log process. That pretty much means Danzo, or someone working for him." Kagome didn't break her gaze from the records.

Sakura knew there was a reason she kept Kagome around. "Okay... So Danzo has been in these records..." She huffed. "That pretty much means we're screwed."

Kagome laughed. "The one flaw in Danzo's work is that he always seems to assume other systems are as rigid and competent as his own. If someone so much as mispelled Naruto's name, it would still be in here."

"You seem to have a lot of experience with Danzo..." Sakura eyed her secretary suspiciously.

"Of course." She chirped. "My graduating thesis from high-school was on the records inconsistency following the Uchiha Clan Massacre. One of the council members was horrible at filing records and Danzo's concealment efforts missed his records entirely. While none of it was conclusive - it was obvious that the Council, and Danzo considered the Uchiha a threat." She looked up from the records. "Damned education board gave me an 'average' rating. The tabloids had a fucking blast with it, though."

Sakura squelched the memory of Sasuke. She could not yield to the temptation to get lost in remorse. "Interesting..." Sakura managed.

A few uncomfortable moments passed as Sakura joined Kagome in searching through receptionist sign-in sheets. It was the mundane stuff, Kagome insisted, that Danzo would miss.

"Hey, Sakura." Kagome started.

Yeah?" Sakura looked over.

"Can I see that list of names, again?" She reached out without looking away from the page she was staring at.

"Sure." Sakura handed Kagome the list, and her eyes darted back and forth, flipping pages in the archived file.

"Interesting. Someone signing as 'Namikaze Kushina' started signing into the maternity wing around six months before the Kyuubi attack. An Uzumaki Kushina is listed on this list, here, and the dates are a difficult coincidence to ignore." Kagome's eyes grew distant, no doubt considering the ramifications.

"There... There's no way." Sakura said. "Did the Fourth even have a wife?"

"Perhaps their union wasn't official?" Kagome offered. "Either way, it's worth following up on. The Fourth having a son ... An Uzumaki son ... Would certainly be worth keeping on the down-low."

"Yeah..." Sakura admitted. "But we should see what else there is, too."

"It's a same." Kagome sighed. "I really did hope he was a fox."

* * *

She knelt before a table, the flowing fabric of a very spacious kimono blew cool kisses in waves across her skin in the breeze wafting through the windows. A young man... Her young man... Sat across from her, his spiky hair glistened a chalky red color. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at how he'd grown from a helpless infant into a strong and confident young man before her very eyes. There was a beauty about mortal life, how it came, and how it passed.

"Mother, the tree shamans are most displeased with the sealing of the Holy Tree." Her son spoke, discontent obvious in his voice.

"I am sure they are, Hagoromo." She sighed. Then there was that part of mortal life.

"They say that you caused it... That I shouldn't exist... That you couldn't let father go." There was a peculiar edge to the young man's voice.

"Hagoromo..." She sighed. The accusation wasn't entirely false. "I loved... Still love... Your father. And I love both you and your brother. And this world... I love it, too. That is why I stayed."

"But if you hadn't..." The young man argued.

"Hagoromo... It isn't worth fretting over what may have happened. We can only act according to our nature and work within that." She'd spent many nights wondering what would be if she had simply ate the fruit and left, as countless before her had done. But it was pointless. She was here, she found a man she felt at peace with, and she had two beautiful children. The world wasn't perfect, but much of the fighting had ended. Hopefully, her children could spread the combined teachings of her people and those of the tree's shamans to bring about a more lasting and natural peace.

"Indeed... According to our natures..." The young man's eyes narrowed.

She perked an eyebrow. "Hagoromo... What?" - a cascade of inky symbols leapt out and around her. A cry of agony escaped her as she felt as if her very soul was being squeezed out of her.

"Embrace the power, Princess Kaguya. Return to the realm of immortals, where you belong." Hargoromo said before turning and leaving the room.

Darkness tore at the edge of her vision. She fought the sensation, cycled her chakra, clawed at the floor... But in the end, the darkness was consuming. Something... Something very important was lost.

End, Chapter 2.

* * *

I would like to thank everyone for their comments in the review section. Don't feel bad for calling me out on stuff - especially if it's to say that this is developing better than DoaF, since that's kind of why I'm doing it.

I am trying to flesh out a lot of the characters that don't get much attention in the main series, while leaving them in much the same vein as they are portrayed in what few roles they have. I'm trying to target Danzo for this, to a degree, and I'm also trying to capture a bit more of the rebuilding process of the Leaf.

Anyway, no more of my ramblings need contribute to the word count. Reviews are welcome/appreciated; thank you all and take care of yourselves.


	3. 03: Sage

Foreword:

I would, again, like to thank you all for the comments and reviews. Most of the reason I am doing a re-write is because I am substantially overhauling how things work, as many of you are likely starting to pick up on. I had, also, lost a true sense of how the war was set up and ongoing. I am still planning to include a war arc - but I will just let that develop as it comes, not try to woo you all with grandiose promises of awesome.

Those of you watching the anime are probably a little confused, especially if relying upon the regional dubs. A lot of this is based upon a theory I've been devising since the whole hand-holding scene that caused anime forums to melt down (those of you watching the subbed anime episodes just got treated to this).

It is going to be a bit on the confusing side, at first. You are supposed to second-guess your interpretation of meanings.

But enough of my rambling, here is the page-break you were looking for:

* * *

A Destiny Entwined

Chapter 3: Sage

Uzumaki sighed, allowing the plush linens to envelop him. The sweet scent of coconut wafted gently from the bathroom. The gentle patter of drops would shift to a chorus of percussion as the occupant shifted in her routine. A gentle hum brought with it the cool breath of modernized climate control across the blonde's bare chest. He dropped the urge to shiver, falling into the increasingly familiar peace of non-doing.

A small part of him noted the frequency of this behavior, but he shrugged it away. The people of the village were his charge - his responsibility. As the sensation of the village filled his being, he began sorting through them. For a village that had just been practically wiped off the map, it was a pretty damned happy place. The most gloomy seemed to be among the out of region workers. Worries of their families back home filled their hearts, a few conflicts with employers and fretting over supplies on back order.

He heard the shower stop. Metal rings screeched against their support and a few soft sploshes danced across the tile. Naruto really tried not to sense the emotions in these places. It made the whole affair easier.

Nothing felt wrong with the village... But ... Somehow he just knew there was something he was missing. He stretched farther, past the crater, into the nearly abandoned portion of the village. There was something... Off. He couldn't place his finger on it, but when his senses paid attention to that region, he felt the need to be there.

He shrugged. He really didn't need to go _there_, of all places. The Uchiha compound seemed to exist purely for his torment, and its existence could be considered fulfilled.

The bathroom door slid open, a warm light flooding from the breach in the darkness. A slender female figure, marred only by a towel, crossed the room with a practiced sway in her hips. The light glistened off of the long, dark locks of hair that hung wild about her head. "I must thank you again, Lord Uzumaki, for your most generous payment. Honestly, I feel like I am taking advantage of you."

Naruto laughed. "Do not worry about it, Ayeka. Your services are always above and beyond."

The young woman's cheeks flushed pink behind a tangle of purple hair.

Naruto felt his eyes widen before they shut, falling into the lake of emotions in the village. He almost didn't notice. Hinata's essence vexed him a bit. He didn't so much as sense Hinata as he sensed where she was - like finding a rabbit by watching the grass move - only the rabbit was a ninja that could hop miles with barely a blade being disturbed.

All of that said... He couldn't sense Hinata when logic told him he should.

* * *

She brushed her bright lockes out of her eye, stuffing the renegade strands back in their elastic band. Warmth once again washed across her face from the roiling embers in front of her. "So... Are we going to do the pork or beef, tonight, guys?"

"Well, this is a grill designed for beef..." The Nara spoke around the hand used to prop up his head.

"The pork one is sitting right here." Choji held up the round object, shifting his girth awkwardly behind the table. "I promise it wouldn't be that troublesome." The harsh glare of construction lights cut an odd contrast across his smiling face.

"Right. I don't really have a preference." Shikamaru closed his eyes, voice nearly drowning in the roar of generators.

Ino felt her face contort as she let out a huff. "Come on. This is our first night off in two weeks. This place just opened." She motioned to the cluster of grilling tables distributed around an enclosed tent. "And it beats the hell out of field rations."

"Is something eating at you, Shikamaru?" Choji nudged the young man next to him.

"Not really, I'm just tired." He yawned.

"You have to be kidding me." Ino rolled her eyes. "You spend half of our patrols staring at clouds and the other half staring at the back of your eyelids." Shikamaru's insistence upon having no preferences always baffled her. She often wondered if the guy chose what to wear each morning, or just never bothered to look beyond what lay at the top of his drawers.

"To be fair," Choji started "There is something about these lights that makes me feel tired. Everything is either too bright or too dark."

"What's the matter, Ino?" A familiar voice cracked from behind. "Feeling self-conscious about eating pork?"

Ino flexed around, staring her pink haired rival straight in the eye. "You're welcome to sit down... If you don't mind eating cows." She couldn't supress the smirk pulling at her mouth.

Sakura flopped down next to Ino. "That was a good one."

"Eh," Ino sighed. "You walked into it."

"So let's just do one plate of pork and one plate of beef, then." Choji broke in, shifting his gaze between the group.

Ino looked at Sakura, shrugged, and turned her eyes back to Choji. "Sure."

"How are things at the Hospital?" The Akamichi asked, scrubbing on the grill with a brush, his mass shifting in a jolly, welcoming manner.

"The weirdest thing happened today." Sakura shot forward, her voice rising. "Kagome has been continually badgering me with her obsession over The Hero of the Leaf and how she thinks he's a fox."

"Okay... What?" Ino interrupted. The hero worship that had broken out amongst the female populace was to be expected. But Naruto being a fox required a different category be developed.

"It's a long story - suffice to say that she's crazy." Pink hair danced in a circle about the finger swirling at Haruno's temple. "Anyway - I am on my way back from checking on the work to make the isolation ward, you know, isolated." The cave system was not originally designed for biocontainment procedures. "When I return to my office to find none other than Hiashi Hyuuga waiting for me."

Shikamaru shifted. Choji reached behind himself, grabbing the pitcher of water. "Well," Choji chuckled. "I hear that is always an experience that never disappoints."

Sakura let out a short burst of laughter. "That is one way to put it."

"Alright, kids." An older lady approached, a flower embroidered kimono hanging comfortably around her. "Have you decided on anything?" She smiled, setting a moist cloth down for each of the ninja.

"Yes Ma'am." Choji shifted in her direction. "We will have one platter of pork and one platter of beef with six colas. Oh... And an extra plate of vegetables with those platters, please."

"That I can do. I will be right out with that." The woman weaved back between the tables toward the tent.

"So," Ino turned to her pink haired friend. "About this encounter with Hiashi, I'm sure something juicy happened." No one was immune from gossip. Not even Hiashi Hyuuga.

"He asked me to divulge records to him regarding pregnancy and births." She started, unraveling the cloth to wipe her hands and brow.

"Isn't that illegal?" Choji looked up from inspecting the fine mesh grill in the center of the table while patting his cloth around his neck.

"Well, it's illegal for me to provide them." Sakura explained. "That is what I told him, and things got even more weird." The pinkette paused, continuing after there were no outbursts. "He apologized and left."

The blonde felt her brow shift. "Just like that?" Hiashi Hyuuga was not known for apologizing or leaving without what he wanted.

"Just like that." Sakura affirmed. "He left so fast that I didn't have a chance to give him back the list of people he wanted those records on."

"You didn't mention a list." Shikamaru half opened his eyes.

Butterflies danced in Ino's stomach. Hiashi Hyuuga - leader of Hyuuga Clan, had a hit list of women he wanted matternity data on. This HAD to be going somewhere good. "Well, out with it Haruno - who was on the list!?"

"Just about every Uzumaki female thought to be in Fire Country in the year leading up to the Kyuubi attack." Sakura shrugged, no doubt to mess with Ino.

"Ho-Holy shit." Ino felt her mind grind to a halt under the wave of implications. "He's trying to find Naruto's parents, isn't he?"

"Come to think of it," Choji seemed to stare off in the direction of the crater. "None of us ever stopped to think much about his parents."

"Well, yeah - but many of our friends lost parents in the Kyuubi attack." Ino studied a bolt on Choji's armor.

"True," Shikamaru grunted. "But there was a rather intense amount of contempt expressed toward that particular orphan."

"Hey, I always thought it was because he was an obnoxious jackass, growing up."

"Ino!" A sharp elbow connected with Ino's side.

"Hey, you're hardly in a position to talk, board-head. All you had to do was share some ramen with the poor guy and you would have made his week." Ino stared hard into Sakura's lowered eyes.

"I never would have suspected he had... Well... The demon fox sealed inside of him, though." Choji offered.

"Looking back, it does make a lot of sense why the older villagers hated him even more so than the other bratty rabble." Ino admitted. "So why would Hiashi be looking to find out who his parents were?"

"Think about it, Ino." Shikamaru said, his voice almost falling off of the table.

Ino took a moment... Hiashi was Hinata's father. Hinata had always been sweet on Naruto, even before it made sense to be... If he wanted to know what Naruto's lineage was... It could only mean; "Holy shit, did Hinata finally score!?"

Ino saw Shikamaru's brow tense as the sound of Sakura smacking her oversized forehead processed in her ears. It was a perfectly logical conclusion.

The woman returned, setting down large platters of raw beef and pork layered in long strips. Glasses were distributed as well as small plates to each ninja.

"I think." Choji said as he pressed against Shikamaru to reach the beef. "That he means it is odd for the Fourth Hokage to go around, stealing random children, and sealing monsters in them." He set the plate down next to the grill, assaulting the strips with a pair of shears.

"Well, I'm sure there was no shortage of orphans..." Ino said before fully processing. "Although... Where the hell would he get an infant from?" Choji set the squares of raw meat on the mesh grill.

"Exactly." Shikamaru croaked, nearly drowned out by the sound of sizzling meat.

Sakura spread some garlic chunks atop the grilling meat. "You wouldn't believe what we found when we went digging through records."

"Hold on - I thought you said that was illegal." Ino plucked a piece of garlic from the grill with her chopsticks and chomped down on it. She loved the chewy, almost sweet flavor kissed with the oils of beef.

"Hey, I'm not doing it for Hiashi. Besides - I doubt you could resist taking a look into it, yourself." Sakura spread some cabbage on an open section of the grill.

"It would be hard to ignore." Choji said as he turned each piece of beef.

"No doubt." Ino ceded. "So - what is so unbelievable about what you found?"

"Just about anything with the name 'Uzumaki' had been cleansed from the records by, we can only assume, Danzo." Sakura said.

Shikamaru snorted. "It would be more unbelievable if he hadn't."

"Hey," Ino kicked Shikamaru under the table. "Less sniping, more cooking, Nara Narcelepsy."

Shikamaru groaned, turning over a piece of cabbage with feigned effort. Sakura rolled her eyes. "We did find, though, that a Kushina Namikaze began signing in to the maternity wing before the Kyuubi attack." Ino knew her puzzled expression matched Choji's. "There is no Kushina Namikaze - but there was a Kushina Uzumaki."

"Huh." Shikamaru grunted. "Well I'll be damned... I suppose it should have been obvious from the beginning."

"Blonde hair... The Fourth's signature attack... Jiraiya's interest in him... Yeah..." Choji popped a piece of beef into his mouth from the grill.

Ino couldn't help but laugh. "I guess we had it all wrong, board-head. We were fawning over the wrong damned prince." Didn't it figure? "I guess Kagome is pretty distraught about him not being a fox."

Sakura groaned. "It didn't last long. Now she won't shut up about 'The Forsaken Prince.'"

* * *

/WC_Jalbfl68 - Two Steps From Hell; Ashes, "Fragments of Deception" If link does not show: Youtube video WC_Jalbfl68

His gut wrenched at the hollow shadows ahead of him. The moon, freshly waning, glowed eerily across the space. He would wait for sasuke here during their days as Team Seven. One of the doors to the compound set ajar, a haunting invitation if there ever was one.

The awkward feeling tickled deeper into his bones as he drew closer. "Hinata?" He called.

Only the chirping of frogs and crickets answered him. He pushed the door aside. "Hinata?"

The only answer, if it could be called an answer, was the gentle pat of water dropping through one of the skylights. He walked farther in. Long shadows cut across the walls, their wooden panels warping. "Hinata? Are you here?"

A ghostly gust of wind brushed the trees.

The blonde shifted his eyes before dashing down a hall. "Hinata!?" He yelled, throwing open the closest door. An empty study.

He shot back into the hall, legs pumping mercilessly as he threw open the next door. "Hinata!?" A... Kitchen? Who designed this place? No wonder Sasuke was crazy.

He relaxed, drawing in more nature chakra. He still couldn't sense her, but she -had- to be here. His hands fell into the final hand sign for the Shadow Clone technique. A dozen clones burst into existence. They each exchanged resolved nods, launching to different corners of the compound.

The original blonde tore into the next room, the door's hinges giving way under the assault. A wardrobe stood, locked on the other side of what he could only assume was a bedroom. A 'gentle' tug removed the handle from the wood behind it. Naruto would have none of that; smashing his fingers through the gap between the two doors and prying them apart in a shower of splinters. No Hinata.

He turned, flipping over the bed. No Hinata.

A closet door stared at him, mockingly. He tore the door away. No Hinata.

He reached deeper. He still couldn't sense her, but he could feel she felt uncomfortable, vulnerable. Male instincts took over, and Naruto simply 'stepped' through the wall of the closet, into the next room. No time was wasted in flipping over the bed, destroying the wardrobe, and exposing the closet. No Hinata.

Then the clone's memory hit him. The blonde exploded into hallway, reeling in the direction of his destination. He flickered to the ajar trap door, taking just a moment to regain his composure before spriting into the depths.

A wall made of some strange brick splintered when he slammed into it. It would have hurt like hell if he wasn't pumped full of adrenaline and nature chakra. "Ugh..." He grunted, pulling himself away from the obstruction. Whatever this stuff was, it was damned hard to sense in Sage Mode.

Hinata lay down a long, straight stretch, he knew. He rounded a couple odd bends in the tunnel before sprinting straight down another stretch he hoped was as long as he was betting.

He felt her just before he tripped over her. His foot caught her thigh, and in his attempt to not do her further damage, ended up planting his nose into the brick floor.

Pain shot through his skull and involuntary tears spalled from his eyes. The blonde quickly twisted around to where he sensed her presence. "Hinata!" He gave her a gentle shake. "Hinata!" There was no response. Her breathing sounded normal, at least.

He crouched forward, picking her up and draping her over his shoulders. "I'm getting you out of here." He tried to reassure her unconscous form. She didn't give any indication she was either concerned or comforted. Uzumaki thought for a moment. This wasn't a normal fainting spell for the Hyuuga, she needed to be taken to the Hospital.

He navigaed through the impossibly dark hallway. He moved as quickly as caution would allow - Hinata would not appreciate being turned into a giant bruise. The immediate crisis of The Missing Hyuuga resolved, his thoughts drifted to more rational thought. Just what in the hell was she doing down here, anyway?

As if in answer, the memories of the clone that found her came back to mind. In all of his experience with shadow clones, he'd never had... He wasn't sure what to call it.

* * *

/Lq2ANOkfsIA - Two Steps From Hell:Skyworld, "Skyworld" Youtube: Lq2ANOkfsIA if link does not appear.

An eerie red glow burned in the sky. Small mountains streaked from the sky, a roiling sea of embers left in their wake. Familiar figures, shrouded in boiling green energy, shot into the meteors, each mass erupting in a massive explosion. Roots of a massive tree crawled ominously across the spanse of battle.

A wave of emotion overcame him as he extended a small box in his hands. "She belongs with your people." He met a hardened stare from a Byakugan. "Keep her safe."

"We will guard her with our life, Noble Sage." The man said, taking the box.

"Just remember." He said, looking far off at the blooming tree. "As this is the time to receive her, there will come a time to let her go."

"I understand." The man said, handing the box to a squad that sprinted away. "You will be handling the sealing, then."

"I will." He edged confidence in his voice.

"I can understand why she stayed for you." The man turned, before rotating back. "It has been an honor." He bowed. "May your actions bring redemption upon your people, Lord Uzumaki."

He felt himself chuckle. "I appreciate the confidence." He turned to watch as the figures who shattered the meteors returned, shearing off a spanse of crawling roots. "But redemption... For any of us... Is a long way off."

He strode forward. "First Squad - On me!" He bellowed. "Squad Two, on our left flank. Squad Three - take our right. The rest of you just keep those damned meteors in check." A chorus of affimations came back in reply.

_So, this is it..._ He leapt into the air, allowing himself to fall into the tide of energy around him. He called to the spirit of the dragon, feeling it answer and flow through him. As he fell deeper into the tide, he became nothing but the dragon. Its eyes were his eyes, its legs were his legs, its legs were his legs. All he did was give purpose to the roiling mass of nature that enveloped him.

That purpose was simple: At all costs, to stop his beloved Kaguya-Hime.

* * *

Shizune sighed, scribbling some notes down next to a flow chart she was reviewing. The history and lab report were fairly conclusive; polycystic kidney disease resulting in chronic renal failure. The poor girl was just dealt a crappy card in her genetics. Treatment was possible, but it would eventually get to the point where her kidneys produced no urine and her body literally died in its own liquid waste.

On the plus side, there was ample time to search for a donor at her rate of decline.

The Fifth's aide heard the door to the medical wing slam open. "Hey, I need some help, here!" A familiar voice bellowed. The night always went by faster when this guy got involved.

Shizune ducked out of the corner that had become her office, seeing a nurse already rushing over to the familiar blonde ninja. Her gaze did a double-take at the Hyuuga heiress slung across his shoulders. Konoha's Unpredictable Ninja just struck again. She hurried closer.

"Naruto... What happened?" Shizune asked as the nurse ushered the blonde to lay the girl down on a nearby table.

"I don't know. She was fine earlier today, then I found her passed out in this crazy secret tunnel in the Uchiha compound." Shizune noticed he kept a firm hold on her hand.

The Fifth's aide took a few moments to process that. She set aside the obvious questions, probing for the more medically relevant ones. "Did you notice any kind of unusual odors?"

"Not really." The blonde looked up.

"No darts, needles, spikes - anything that looked like she sprung a trap?" She probed.

"Not that I saw... But it was pretty dark down there." He looked down at the floor.

Shizune put her hand over the Hyuuga's head. The chakra circulation felt normal enough. "It doesn't appear to be a genjutsu... You didn't mention anyone else being around?"

"I don't know how long she was there." He looked over at her. "But I was the only one there, and it didn't seem like anyone else had been around."

She eyed the tears in his clothing and the plaster dashed across his skin. "So then what's with the White Face getup?"

"Oh..." He cast a quick glance at his shoulder. "I guess I kind of got a little carried away when I couldn't find her at first."

So the Uchiha compound was probably a pile of rubble. Shizune suppressed a snicker at what kind of council meeting Danzo would wake up to. "Alright. We'll do a simple blood draw and screen for common poisons. She'll be under observation until she wakes up." Shizune turned and walked toward the supply cart.

"Uh..." She heard the blonde add, an edge of uncertainty in his voice.

"Is there something more?" Shizune turned around.

"I was kinda wondering if it would be alright if I stay with her." He scratched the back of his head with his free hand.

"Aww..." She couldn't help but fawn over the blonde's behavior. "Of course you can." It was about damned time the dolt started to gravitate toward the girl.

* * *

Danzo perked an eyebrow at the report on his desk. He was beginning to understand why Naruto was called the unpredictable Ninja. The Root operative assigned to trailing Naruto lost track of the blonde about two hours after what normal people would interpret to be a date between he and the Hyuuga girl.

That was another situation that bore more investigation.

Apparently, however, Naruto didn't see things the way normal people saw them - or Danzo was missing some critical information. The blonde was next seen about two hours after sunset, dashing from a whore house. Given his instruction under Jiraiya, it made some sense. As far as Danzo knew, however, this was a new behavior from the Jinchuriki.

That _required_ more investigation.

Then the kid went on a crazy rampage through the Uchiha compound before emerging with an unconscious Hyuuga heiress draped over his shoulders.

Danzo was stumped. Hopefully the follow-up his operatives were conducting would clarify something... Anything.

As if that wasn't enough, it appeared as if Hiashi was sniffing around the Uzumaki's lineage. He was sure the visit with the Nara had something to do with it - but damned if he had any proof. It seemed he managed to plant the seed of interest in the Haruno girl, and her damned secretary nailed it. That girl had some nerve. She seemed to live for the purpose of complicating his life. First she writes that report revealing the Council's suspicions and contingency plans on the Uchiha... Now she is about to blow the whole lid off of Naruto's lineage.

Then, just for good measure, the Haruno blabbed to the Yamanaka Heiress. So the situation went from 'not existing' to critical mass literally overnight.

Sure, they had no proof... But once the discussion reached the open ranks and droves of people began digging into the possibility of both of their blonde, Rasengan-wielding heroes... Proof would either be found or completely unnecessary. Keeping something so blatantly obvious a secret was a fragile art.

Convincing the Third Hokage to keep his lineage a secret had been a hard sell to begin with. The argument that no one should speak of the Kyuubi sealed in the boy was easy enough - Sarutobi was already leaning that way to begin with, since he knew the children would react harshly. Realistically - that was going to happen, anyway, but the boy would practically walk into the Third's place as Hokage if his lineage were openly known.

Which was the current dilema he was faced with. Naruto had the popular support Kakashi and Danzo could only dream of. The knowledge that he was the son of the Fourth would turn him into an unstopable political force.

And if something came of this sudden fascination with the Hyuuga girl?

At that point, the kid woulnd't even need the title of Hokage. If he moved all the way to Snow Country, the Village Hidden in the Leaves would become the Village Hidden in the Snowy Pines as it moved with him.

Danzo sighed, looking at his bandaged arm. He'd given... And taken... A lot in his quest to do what he felt would best protect the village. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy for the blonde. Without asking anything in return - the boy gave everything he had for the village, for people who scorned and hated him.

The boy had managed to seed the growing relationship between Fire and Wind countries through his odd relationship with the Kazekage. Reports were coming in that the Hidden Rain was internally discussing seeking trade with the Hidden Leaf. Wave was flourishing after the elimination of Gato. Representatives from these nations spoke of Naruto by name.

And Danzo?

What little he could claim would probably never be known. Other things... He wished he couldn't claim.

Perhaps he was holding on too tight to goals to see solutions. Naruto wouldn't be bad for the Leaf. Not in principle, anyway. But he was still young and had much to learn.

There was a knock. "Lord Hokage, the Council has called a meeting."

"No doubt." He grunted. "I will be with them in a moment." He raised with practiced effort. There would be time for speculation and planning later. More old men and their vision-obscuring goals required attention.

* * *

A twitch in his hand coaxed him from a slumber he didn't realize had overtaken him. Naruto woke to see a trail of drool stringing from his mouth, hanging between his legs. He rolled with the first solution to cross his mind; mash his mouth into his sleeve.

A soft moan drew his gaze to the bed next to him. The Hyuuga rolled, pulling awkwardly at his hand.

"Hinata..." He almost whispered. "Hey, can you hear me?"

There was a pause. "N-Naruto?" She rolled back around, eyes fluttering against sleep.

"Hey!" He felt his face explode in a smile. "You had me worried." He noticed her swallow awkwardly. "Uh... Here" the blonde produced a small cup of water.

Hinata gently took the cup from his hand, propping awkwardly on her side to sip from it. "Thank you." She rasped between pants.

"You're welcome," A warmth overtook the blonde. The way her eyes were still partially lidded, the way her hair fell across her shoulders, the meekness of her state... Every instinct in his bones wanted to wrap around the girl in front of him, to protect and secure her. "How are you feeling?"

"My head is throbbing a bit." The Hyuuga squinted her eyes.

"Here." Naruto nudged for her to lay back down, and she complied. "This always helped when I had a headache." He placed two fingers on each of her temples and began massaging in small circles. You didn't train with Sasuke Uchiha and his sharingan without picking up a few tricks in dealing with headaches.

The girl beneath him giggled. "That is how I used to deal with the headaches Kurenai's ... Training ... Would leave us with."

"Oh yeah... She is pretty good at Genjutsu, isn't she?" Naruto mused. Some believed she could easily give Itachi a run for his money. Having first hand experience with Itachi, he thought it was a shuriken-to-kunai comparison... But whatever.

"Rule number one about Kurenai's training. Do not talk about Kurenai's training." The Hyuuga said in a monotone voice.

"Uh..." Naruto froze. Even Kakashi wasn't that bad.

"I'm joking." She giggled, again. "Though there was one time I spent two months in one of her genjutsu."

Naruto's jaw dropped and he broke his massaging rythm. "Two months?"

Hinata nodded. "Every night for two months I had the same dream about trying to ..." She paused for a moment, "to find my clothes." She blushed.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh. "I hate those dreams." He resumed massaging. "And I'm always trying to get them from the weirdest places." He looked away for a moment. "Like this one time, all I needed to do in order to get my clothes was get to Ichiraku's. It made perfect sense then, but not now that I'm awake."

The girl was shaking with laugher. "I did have a weird dream, though." She sighed.

"What about?" Naruto sat back down.

"I'm... I'm not sure." She stared up at the ceiling. "It was almost like a memory. Or a vision... I'm not sure which." He found her hand. "There was a young man with eyes like Pain's... I called him Hagoromo, and though of him as my son. He was upset - I could feel his confusion and anger. There was something about a tree before he used some kind of a sealing technique, saying that I should return to where I belonged."

"Hmm..." Naruto reflected back on his clone's memory. "The clone that found you returned to me with..." He thought of how to describe it. "An extra memory. I'm honestly not sure what was going on, but there was a giant tree - and the Hyuuga were there." Hinata perked a brow at him. "There were other people using... A different type of sage mode. It was sage mode... But entirely different. There was someone I had to stop... Someone I cared about."

Hinata simply squeezed his hand. "Oh, and there was a box that I gave to the guy with the Byakugan. I have no idea what was in it, but it hurt to let it go."

Naruto heard a fluttering of cloth behind him. He noticed Hinata turn to look with him, but there seemed to be nothing there.

"Thank you..." The Hyuuga blushed. "For finding me."

Naruto felt some heat rise to his cheeks. "Well, you know... Can I ask you what you were doing down there?"

The Hyuuga's cheeks turned pink. "I just was curious, I guess. I saw the old compound and it just felt like the thing to do. Then I found the trap door and that strange tunnel. But then the tablet..."

"Tablet?" Naruto perked a brow. Then he laughed at himself. "It was so dark down there that I couldn't see anything."

"There was a tablet in... I guess it was a shrine room." She said. "I remember looking at it... The weird dream, and then waking up here."

"Do you think we should go back, with Shikamaru or someone?" Naruto straightened.

"I ... I don't know." She sighed. "We should report it to the Hokage, though. The whole thing was kind of... Creepy."

* * *

Danzo lowered himself into his chair with practiced difficulty. It wasn't hard to not want to sit in the chair.

"Just what in the hell are your ninja doing, now, _Lord Hokage_?" The old voice cut through the air.

And that was why. Danzo cast a gaze around the room. The civilian council varied. It wasn't entirely official, but it wasn't without power. Business owners representing coalitions, wealthy donors, trade union representatives, merchants who happened to be in town - they all comprised what was loosely referred to as 'the civilian council.' While they had no official authority over the village, they had the practical authority to make things happen, or make them a pain in the ass.

The representatives of the various Ninja clans did hold a more official authority, and were generally what was referred to as the 'core' of the civilian council. "I am launching an investigation into the events. I will not comment on the incident last night until it has concluded."

The door on the far wall slid open, and a one Hiashi Hyuuga stepped through. "I apologize, I was tending to family matters." He sat at an open seat.

"Hiashi" A middle aged woman, Danzo recognized to represent the many seamstresses and textile industries, "Rumor has it that your daughter was involved in last night's events at the Uchiha compound."

"Well, it was obviously the _Hero_ of the leaf who decided to level nearly half of the Uchiha compound." Another woman spoke up.

"You mean the fourth's son?" Another voice shot from the corner.

"That is just hero worship spreading amongst the impressionable young girls." Another chastized.

"I overheard the Haruno girl talking about it at that new barbeque place last night!" Danzo recognized a heavy set merchant as the origin.

Danzo felt a gentle nudge come from his right. He turned to see a smiling Nara. "Well, this is getting fun to watch." Shikaku turned back.

The bantering quickly became a countless number of side-conversations in a cacophony of chatter with occasional shouts and insults hurled across the tables.

"**ENOUGH!**" Hiashi bellowed. Even Danzo had to admit the outburst caught him off guard. "Rumors are rumors. Let us all be responsible adults and make sure we have our facts straight. I will not speak for my daughter on such short notice, and I am sure there there is much each of us must do before our eloquent discussions can be of much practical use." He cast a gaze around, seeking a contest. "But since we are here, I was just in the medical ward and am curious to hear what the moderate term plan is for providing our needs for a medical facility."

Shikaku cleared his throat. "I believe the plan, so far, has been to leave the hospital in its current hardened location until proper walls and barriers can be restored."

"While I can see how that makes sense for the leaf's ninja," A representative for the construction workers broke in. "It has become a bit of an issue for our workers. Would it be possible to staff a tent, or something, for minor injuries near the work sites?"

Danzo had supported the idea of separate medical facilities for ninja and general populace for some time. "I believe that is a reasonable request."

"Reasonable?" Shizune stood up from her chair. "One third of our medical corps is detached to our long range patrol network. Visits are up a full two hundred percent and our mission demand just went up over three hundred." She sat back down, closing her eyes for a moment. "I agree it would be a better situation for the workers, but we just don't have the staff to split between two facilities."

"If the council would permit it," the merchant spoke up. "There are a number of medical professionals who have traveled here with the workers. They do not currently have licenses for this region, but the workers trust them." _The voice of reason._ Danzo mused. For decades, the budget had been slammed with demands for the Leaf's medical corps to patch up anything and everything that walked through the gate. Meanwhile, only medical ninja could become licensed practitioners in the Leaf... Which meant the number of professionals was always insufficient.

"There are also a number of promising individuals who are not adept at using chakra who have been declined the opportunity to put their skills to work for the Leaf." One of the civilian educators spoke up.

And so the discussion continued. Non-Ninja would be allowed to treat injuries and diagnose the civilian population. It would be subject to standard sales tax. And it only took three hours.

* * *

He let out a low growl. "What's taking the old bat so long?" Naruto ground his foot into the ground. It was bad enough when he had to worry about Granny and her drunken mood-swings. Now this ass hat, who just decided he was Hokage, was never in his damned office.

"Naruto..." The soft voice smoothed what would be ruffled fur. "The Hokage has a lot on his plate, right now."

"I don't care how much he gets to eat. Why isn't he here?" He flopped back down in the chair.

Naruto could have sworn Hinata started to giggle. "I meant that he has many things to do. The village is going through a lot of change."

"Yeah... I guess." He found that he had leaned up against her. At first, the sensation of being in contact with another person was uncomfortable. He didn't have many people to have contact with - being beaten by villagers didn't exactly count as 'contact' in this sense. But he'd quickly become addicted to just the simple feeling of having Hinata's arm against his.

A wooden crutch crunched into the dirt before prying back the canvas flap. Naruto felt the anger pool in his stomach at seeing this ... Imposter duck into the tent. His eye fell lazily over the two.

"Well." He said, flatly. "That saves the anbu a trip." He smiled. "Please do not make a habit of lingering in my office. "

Naruto simply growled. "This is Tsunade's office." He'd never once liked this man. He would keep a shadow clone here at all times, if he had to, just to piss this abomination in front of him off. And the pranks... Oh, the pranks... He didn't have a clue what he would do, just yet, but there was plenty of time for a hundred of him to brood on the subject.

A soft touch on his arm caused him to look back. He found Hinata's eyes fixed on him with concern.

"Alright. I do not have to argue semantics with you, Uzumaki." He sat behind his desk. "Some changes we like. Some changes we don't - but change happens. Which brings me to the changes made to the Uchiha compound. I hope you two are here to explain what that was all about."

"If we aren't?" Naruto growled. He felt Hinata gently brush across his back. Naruto's muscles instantly reacted, tightening to pull his back away from the tickle that didn't feel at all like a tickle.

"Lord Hokage, I must accept responsibility." Hinata turned to face Danzo, both hands in her lap. Naruto felt his back arch involuntarily again. His back was convinced there was some tickle-monster hidden in his chair that needed to be evaded at all costs.

"Explain." Danzo seemed to perk an eyebrow at the blonde.

Naruto's back continued to evade contact with so much as his shirt throughout Hinata's explanation of wandering through the Uchiha compound and stumbling upon the tablet. He scooted away from the back of his chair, and still his back would spasm. He shifted sideways, and his back still arched in spasms. He growled in frustration. He couldn't figure out if Hinata did that intentionally, or not... Or if she did anything at all.

"That... Is interesting." Danzo's brow narrowed. "I will have the Anbu investigate the chamber you described. Until then, I think it would be best for you two to avoid it." Naruto opened his mouth to protesst, but Danzo cut him off. "Just until we can make sure it is not dangerous, for all we know, Lady Hyuuga narrowly avoided some variety of trap." Naruto stilled. "But I still do not see how Lady Hyuuga is responsible for the destruction." His gaze fell on Naruto.

Naruto did his best to explain how he could sense Hinata's absence, the awkwardness of the Uchiha compound and the desperate frenzy to find her. The most difficult part of the whole thing was reading Danzo... The man may as well have been an oil painting. "I... Guess I did get a little carried away." Naruto admitted, at the end.

Danzo sighed, staring down at some paperwork. "Bluntly, the Uchiha compound has been a drain on our resources and would probably not have been able to be saved after the exposure it suffered after Pain's attack. As far as I'm concerned, you stopped short of what should have been done a long time ago." Naruto's mind was racing to keep up with the unexpected response. "Further, we Ninja face a wide variety of threats that come in ways we can rarely anticipate. I will not pretend to have this 'sage sense,' nor will I tell you how to interpret its meaning. You were not unreasonable in assuming there was a threat to Lady Hyuuga and acting with haste."

Naruto couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Something nasty just had to be coming his direction. "It is unfortunate that the civilians do not always understand our perspective." Danzo continued. "What they see was an exceptionally reckless search party. They don't live in a world where someone who is missing is very likely captured or dead. Nor do they live in a world where enemies are continually developing ways to kill and capture them without drawing attention."

"I could sit here," Danzo continued. "And condemn your actions as needlessly destructive and unwarranted. But people such as Kabuto have struck from within our secure zones, before. It would be reckless of me to punish you to appease the council. We are ninja. When you believe there is a threat to your comrade or this village - you must act without concern for the politics of old men. Buildings can be rebuilt. Knowledge can be rediscovered." Naruto's mind filled in the blank; _people can only be remembered._

"I... Uh..." Naruto coulnd't really find a response.

"I know that is not the response you were expecting." Danzo interrupted. "I will send for you two, again, once the Anbu have completed their report. I suspect there will be a lot more to discuss about this as time goes on. In the mean time, your graduating class has been placed in the reserve rotation for the next two days. Use your time wisely, as you will all be embarking on a long distance mission before the week is up. You will learn more when I give the briefing." Danzo looked between the two teens. "You two are dismissed, unless you have more business to discuss."

Naruto shared a look with Hinata. She stood, and both stepped out of the tent. Naruto squinted against the sun as they passed a roaring generator. "That was weird."

"I ... Think I have a new perspective on what my father has said in regards to Danzo." Hinata stopped to watch a butterfly.

"I was expecting... Harsh and cold." Naruto admitted.

"I think..." Hinata paused. "I think he is just very dedicated to keeping us ready for war." She brushed at a strand of hair. "I think he struggles with the idea of Ninjas as tools and Ninjas as people."

Naruto let his mind zone out for a moment. He knew someone like that. "Hey... Hinata, did I ever tell you about Zabuza and Haku?"

* * *

Hiashi sat in meditation, the family portrait in front of him. What the Uzumaki boy had mentioned... It was beyond comprehension.

There had been a box, passed down through the Hyuuga head branch for generations upon generations. Its exact origins were lost to time. It was said to hold the purpose of the Hyuuga clan and to have been a gift inherited with the cursed seal.

Hiahsi never knew what to make of the stone box, viewing it with both skepticism and awe. It stood out from the Hyuuga, having six inscribed circles forming concentric rings on the cover. Depictions of chains covered the surface and there was a meditating androgenous figure with six arms.

That box was shattered during the Kyuubi attack, in the hands of his wife, three months before Hinata was born.

* * *

Afterword:

I admit that I seriously debated the scene in the hospital. After a scene in Dynamics of A Fututure... I realized that having characters completely recount events in full dialogue is needlessly tedious, because the reader already knows as is not really learning anything new. Those of you coming from Dynamics of A Future probably know which one I'm talking about, too - "Hey, I'll have Naruto tell Mito about -everything- we already know. That is a good way to keep the word count up!"

But I let this one fly because it does actually give a better view of how Hinata and Naruto interpreted their experience - and was short enough to allow for that.

I'm especially curious to hear from people regarding that decision of mine.

Speaking of which - I do not currently utilize a beta. I am not opposed to having one - so if you are interested, let me know. That said - it is not like I am stopping the show to look for one, either.

Anyway - I would greatly appreciate the reviews (good, bad, they all make that number bigger :P ).


	4. 04: Seal

Foreword:

In case you are wondering - yes, you are supposed to be slightly confused. There are supposed to be unanswered questions and peculiarities that provoke investigation. I try to keep enough information present in the story for everyone to figure out what is going on before it's explained - but those of you working from the anime (particularly the dub) are admitedly at a disadvantage. It is generally safe to assume that everything has a deeper meaning and tie-in.

Part of what irritates me about Kishimoto's work on Naruto is that he introduces far too many concepts by just dropping it your lap with few hints to ease the plot into it. "Surprise! It's a tree! Now here's a monologue with two chapters of flashbacks to explain how that makes sense."

I will try to avoid doing that. The goal is that any 'revelation' should have been there all along, just waiting for someone to assemble the pieces.

I must break back in here to give a... I believe the popular term is 'shout out' to **Dominator046:**

I appreciate such a detailed and thought out review. I would contend, though, that much of the imagery is an expression of your own mind. If I did anything - it was to trigger your vast imagination.

My mother's side of the family was gifted with folk tales and telling all varieties of stories around the fire at family reunions (we had camp-outs for reunions). I think the art of story-telling in folk-tale and in novel forms are very similar. It wasn't important to give exacting detail or even very descriptive recountings. Through simple actions, shifts in tone, and key expressions - a line of 'dots' was created for the audience to connect with.

Novels limit the interaction but expand the scope of the scene. Dialogue can be more fully and naturally explored while also allowing for more scenes and perspectives.

Of course, it also helps that I had a total of three typing classes over the course of schooling. It was a required course for me in the beginning of sixth grade (waaaay back in 2000 - and I had a keyboard nazi for an instructor - took the delete key off of the keyboard and force us to use blinders). Then I moved to a new school district, and thought that if I took the keyboarding/computer applications course in middle school, I would be able to go onto bigger and better things in High School without having to take another keyboarding course.

And the joke was on me. So I had to take yet another keyboarding course. For a total of three.

I type almost faster than I can think - so I can churn out 2000 words in an hour without realizing it. As such - most of these stories are somewhat raw, much of the content being a first or arguably second draft. I've gravitated away from writing stories down before typing them, but I might return to it - particularly to get around writer's block. There is just something different about the process of writing when it is done by hand - sometimes it produces better results, other times it seems to lack the same effect.

Either way - I appreciate your review.

Well - I appreciate everyone's reviews - and I admit I am horrible about being sociable with readers; but I did think that your reivew in particular merited a direct public response.

Now for my Jedi Mind Trick: This is the page-break you've been looking for.

* * *

Chapter 4: Seal

He roared through the skies, held aloft by the swirling mass of natural chakra around him. A streak of green shot ahead of him, striking the small mountain falling from the sky. The streak blossomed into a massive shockwave, vaporizing a large portion of the rock. A few smaller meteors trailing in its wake punched through the thinning veil of energy. He maneuvered between them, dashing, weaving, clawing against the very fabric of the sky.

He could sense it ahead of him, his goal. He streaked nearly straight down, dipping and rising over the roots of the tree that sprang forth, starving for the conduit of chakra. A plateu, his destination, overlooked the forest of erupting roots. The dragon slammed against the side, clawing in a slithering motion up the side of the plateu; a predator pursuing its prey.

The sage vaulted over the summit, feeling that he had arrived at just the right moment as a set of needles embedded themselves in the dragon's cloak of chakra.

"Welcome, Beloved." The woman's long, silver hair billowed behind the pale stare of her Byakugan. "I was just disciplining our son for desecrating my sanctuary."

The chakra around the Sage settled, retreating from the visible world. "Hagoromo," His voice held back unspeakable rage. "Have you not learned anything?"

"Father - I was only..." The young man scrambled to his feet, the multiple rings in his eyes focused on the ground.

The sage growled a sigh. "Such is your nature." The sage never once took his eyes off of the woman in front of him. "I will tell you that you are walking a path that leads only to suffering, but you always have been the type to learn things the hard way." The boy began to sputter a response, but the Sage held up his hand. "You'll learn. You're doing it the hard way, but you'll learn." He assured the boy he knew to be his son.

"Oh, Beloved." The woman almost sang. "You know that to be untrue." She stretched her arms out. "Even now, half of them dream of conquest and war. Even after the power of the Fruit could be used to end their ability to war against each other - they began to turn their daggers toward the one who protected them."

"Kaguya... You and I both know you are not whole." He kept himself between the pacing woman and his son.

"And just what is the difference?" She leered at him. "I have endured so much... And _ALL _of the indignant bastards only seek to take what is rightfully mine!" The Sage almost swore he saw a tear in her eye - an echo of what was lost - a ghost of what truly bound her to the planet. "These cretons want to kill?" She pointed to the overgrown pods encasing most of the world's human population. "Then I'll have them kill the self-righteous fools of my homeland!" Her eyes were wild for a brief moment before returning to an emotionless neturality.

God... How he wished he could comfort her. But destiny, it appeared, would not permit him such simple luxuries. He kept his body agled on her. He needed a bit more time. "And what, then? Will we be left alone with the murderer of our friends and family?"

The woman's brow perked before narrowing. "I don't understand how choosing between the murderer who spared you and the murderers who have yet to betray you is much of a dilema."

The Sage straightened. "Perhaps it is time to fulfil a new destiny." He walked closer to the woman. "For a thousand years, let us be together." He walked within an arm length of her, spreading his arms slightly. "You can finally have everything you want."

Honestly, the Sage thought he would feel a bit more. Sure, there was a sharp pain, but some kind of shock or adrenaline must have blunted it pretty quick. He looked down at the hand through his heart. "Did you think-" She stopped.

Symbols crawled out from the gaping wound. "We both knew this would happen." He said, musing at the blood coating his lips. It made them unusually slippery. "I gave you my word." He gasped. "Even if it takes a thousand years, I will dry your tears and bring laughter to your lips."

A second sensation drew his attention to his beloved's chest. One of Hagoromo's rods impaled him through the right lung bfore puncturing her through the heart and lay embedded in a stone tablet. Some things never changed.

Kaguya laughed, splotches of red falling across her white kimono. "Hagoromo... Did you really think you outfoxed your father?"

The world faded into darkness with a heart-rending smile on his symbol-ridden face. A thousand years of death awaited.

* * *

The blonde woke with a start.

Naruto shifted his eyes around, seeing his own tent. "Damn these weird visions." He said, aloud. "Why do they have to feel so real?"

The lady with the Byakugan, the one his visions called Kaguya... Somehow, he felt bad for her. He really didn't know what to make of the vision, at all. Was this woman real? ... And Hagoromo... His eyes held the Rinnegan and he used an ability similar to Pain.

Naruto scrubbed his head with a growl. Or maybe he was insane.

Then it hit him. "Hinata mentioned a guy named Hagoromo in her dream..." Was his mind just playing tricks on him - playing off of her dream?

He groaned, pulling himself out of bed. First a shower. Then breakfast... His stomach groweld.

First breakfast, then a shower. He tossed his shower kit back toward the corner of the tent. He simply threw on an undershirt and ducked out of his tent. The sun was cresting over the distant hills, and he took a moment to squint at it through the pastel clouds. He needed to talk to Hinata about this dream... Vision... Whatever it was.

He turned, heading for the meal tent a few dozen meters away. It didn't take long for him to run into familiar faces.

"Nara Narcelepsy" A voice sang. "GET THE HELL OUT OF BED!" Naruto cringed, looking toward the scene.

Which turned out to be quite comical. He turned just in time to see Ino duck into a tent. "Damnit, Shikamaru!" She cursed from inside the tent. "We only have a couple. Days. Off." She grunted with sounds of sliding. "And you are. NOT. Sleeping. It. Away." The girl heaved; dragging the notorious Nara, packaged comfortably in his bedroll, out into daylight. Choji sat off to the side, an amused grin on his face.

Naruto shook his head with a laugh, walking toward the trio. "Alright... Sheesh." Shikamaru could be heard as he rolled over. "I'll get dressed as soon as you drag me back in so that I can."

The buxom blonde simply perked an eyebrow at him, placing her hands on her hips. Naruto stood on the edge of the disagreement, content to observe his friends through an unyielding contest of disobedience.

It was Ino who finally compromised, huffing as she ducked inside Shikamaru's tent. "Here." She growled as she emerged. A wad of billowing cloth sailed through the air and landed atop the Nara's head.

"I'm naked under here, you know." Shikamaru grumbled.

"You're a genius." She dismissed with a wave of the hand, walking toward Naruto. "You'll figure it out." She stopped next to Choji. "Or maybe you could just give the Hero of the Leaf a show."

Shikamaru grumbled, pulling the clothes from his face as he began to writhe within his bedroll.

"Good morning, Naruto" Choji turned, a warm smile on his face. "How have you been, lately?"

"'Morning guys." The blonde yawned. He thought about how to actually answer the question. "I've gotten a lot to think about lately, but okay for the most part. I was just going to grab some breakfast." He motioned toward the spaceous tent ahead.

"Great!" Ino seemed to second-guess her outburst. "If you don't mind waiting on Princess Pineapple, we'll join you." She glared back around at the Nara, worming his way into his pants.

"Sure, that sounds alright." Naruto smiled. Seeing his friends like this reminded him of when Team Seven used to be together. For a long time, it used to hurt; seeing something so reminiscent of what he lost. It would hurt to see others so happy when he was so miserable. He knew it was unreasonable, but a part of him felt as if they were mocking him.

Of course, they weren't. With time, he came to hold to moments like these. This is what he would work himself to the bone for - so that his friends could snipe and snark at each other in fun; that they never had to mourn the loss of their precious people and continue to make new memories with them.

"Hey, Naruto." Shikamaru said as they sat down to the table. "You have been pretty quiet this whole time."

"I've just been... Thinking." Naruto said. He had barely noticed the trip through the line, much less the walk to the tent.

"Really?" Choji said between bites. "What about?" He downed a piece of melon.

"Just how great it is to have a team." The blonde admitted.

"Speaking of teams..." Ino started, a devious smile crept across her face. "I hear you and Hinata have been spending a lot of time together."

Naruto felt a bit of heat rise to his cheeks. "Well... I never would have thought she was so amazing to be around." He sighed "I mean - I didn't think she would be horrible to be around... But I guess I never expected her to be so ..." He couldn't think of a word. He always found himself listening when she spoke. He always found himself watching her when she was around. She always got the cutest pout on her face when she made a mistake or was frustrated. Even the worst pain imaginable was worth it to see her smile.

"-ruto. Hey, Naruto." Choji stirred the bowl of Ramen in front of Naruto. "You just kind of stopped."

"Oh." Naruto honestly had no idea how to behave. "Sorry. I guess I kind of zoned out, there."

"Are you feeling okay?" Choji eyed him suspiciously. "A Ninja can't think on Ramen, alone, Naruto."

"Not everything has to do with food, Choji." Shikamaru yawned.

"Perhaps not." The well fed young man held his chopsticks in contemplation. "But everything can be solved with food."

Ino sighed. "It's a shame not everyone knows how to cook." She narroed an eyebrow. "So, tell me." Ino paused. "What prompted all of this special attention for Hinata?"

Naruto paused for a moment. "I don't know what you mean by special..." Of course it was special; time with any of his friends was special.

"The way I hear it." Choji interrupted from behind a bowl full of rice. "Hinata gave a blazing confession of love when she stood in front of Pain." He set the bowl down. "Sorry, I guess I should have put that more tactfully."

Naruto felt Ino's eyes burning a hole into his mind. He had no doubt that she would do anything it took to know if that was the truth... And being a Yamanaka, that meant giving in to the temptation to use forbidden, mind-shattering jutsu surrounded by legends of terror. There were some things about that memory that he didn't want to think about, much less talk about. Bu... There were others...

"She really was pretty amazing!" Naruto felt the excitement rise in his voice, remembering how she acted with such confidence. "I really did think I was a gonner - and then out of nowhere - Hinata shows up and blasts a hole in the ground where Pain was standing!"

Ino simply stared at him with a smile he couldn't place. "Wow, it sounds like she was pretty determined." There was a tone in her voice, again, that Naruto couldn't place.

Not that it mattered. "Huh..." a thought occurred to him. "Now that I think about it... She said that she would not let him hurt me anymore." He ran through the events again in his mind. "He didn't even land a punch on me after that." He wasn't quite sure what to do with that revelation, but it seemed significant, somehow; so he shelved it. "She said that I was the one who showed her how to never give up and to show others kindness even through hardship. That's why she wasn't afraid to..." He trailed off.

He could still see the trickle of blood from under the broken clay. Losing Jiraiya hurt in a way he couldn't describe. He was sure it would have been a different kind of pain if he actually saw it happen. But there was something that hit deeper. Jiraiya had been strong, independent. As had Haku and Zabuza. They lost their lives doing a job they had sworn to do to protect those precious to them.

Sure, Hinata was strong, and she had sworn to do much the same thing... But... There was something about losing Hinata that made him feel as if he'd lost everything. He could not source anything specific about that feeling - it wasn't like the feeling of losing Sasuke, where he could point to things that made Sasuke important to him.

"...oing it again." Ino interrupted his thoughts. "Are you sure you're okay?" She perked an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah... Just remembering some things." He looked down at what remained of his food. Far more than he usually left, and he was not hungry in the slightest. "I think I am going to go take a shower."

"Alright... Well just be careful. If you fall any harder, you just might break the sound-barrier." Ino waved in a playful manner.

Uzumaki just quirked his brow as he stood. "Uh, I'm standing, right?" A thought hit him. "I'm not in another Genjutsu, am I?" He passed a skeptical eye across his surroundings.

"Good grief." Shikamaru laughed.

"Well, that is one way to look at it." Ino giggled, twirling some clear noodles on her plate. "And only Hinata can release you from it."

Naruto was flabbergasted. "But why would she do such a thing? Wait... What kind of genjutsu is it?"

Shikamaru just curled into himself, undoubtedly his way of hiding hysterical laughter. A quick glance toward Ino revealed her laughter had been replaced by a devilish grin.

"Don't mind them." Choji stacked a newly empty bowl into the old empty one. "Just go take your shower."

* * *

Hinata turned back around to view the distant Leaf Village. Even more than three kilometers from the village's edge, the sounds of construction could be heard as dull clanks and thuds stretched across the air. She turned back around. Her destination lay not too far ahead.

The area was thick with cedar trees. It was an ancient area of the forest and legends were told of vengeful spirits who lived inside the trees. Perhaps more interesting were the tales of shamans who, up until a few hundred years ago, used to pass through the area. According to one ancient account, those shaman traced their lineage back to those who tended the tree housing the oldest and most powerful of the tree spirits.

She took a few moments to study the reddened, flaky bark of the cedar trees. If there were spirits in these trees, they were currently laying low. Not that Hinata was going to complain about it. Still, unlike many, she wasn't one to assume people hundreds of years ago were somehow incapable of analytical thought. Something started the legends.

Satisfied that the trees posed no immediate danger, she pushed through the overgrown trail. An old shack lay ahead, built beside an old cave. A small stream babbled across a rocky bed as it stretched down the far hills. Hinata pushed through the door, "Pardon the intrusion, Tenten." She said.

The young woman looked up from a small table. "No problem." She turned around and startled Hinata with a hug. "I was about to go blow that useless, frustrating piece of garbage up, anyway."

Hinata peered over her friend's shoulder at the set of seals she had been working on. "You normally don't get that frustrated." Hinata soothed.

"I know." Tenten huffed, turning to point at the seal. "These things can be amazingly simple, in the case of a standard storage seal." She pointed to scribblings on the walls, "Or a neatly compressed, highly intricate form that the final product obscures." She paced to the other side of the room. "It has been sort of a white elephant for a long time... The sealing arts are all but gone."

Hinata was not sure she completely understood. "But... We use seals all the time..."

"Simple storage scrolls and elemental seals are widespread... But who actually understands them?" She pulled out one of her scrolls. "These are just copies. Most of the seals we use today are what has been passed down in a coloring book that continually has pages torn out of it when the actual art of painting has been lost."

Tenten palmed her forehead. "Now that the village and all of its ancient seals have been obliterated, we can't ignore that white elephant, anymore. Anyone who is vaguely familiar with sealing jutsu is feeling the pressure to restore the art."

Hinata hated feeling helpless. Sealing jutsu wasn't her strong point. The Hyuuga would occasionally use a storage seal, but the only seal given much attention was the Curse Seal... Or Caged Bird Seal, different people called it different things for understandable reasons. Then an odd thought occurred to her. "Do you think Naruto knows much about sealing jutsu?"

Tenten scoffed. "Hinata... The guy isn't exactly known for being a serious study."

"I know," She sighed. Though she would argue that art didn't necessarily come from studying. "But he does have..." Tenten just stared blankly at her. "The fox..."

"That's right!" Tenten perked up. "Even if he doesn't know it, I'm sure he knows someone who does." Hinata suddenly felt Tenten grab her hand and start dragging her out the door. "We're going to find your boy."

Sometimes, Hinata mused, Naruto and Tenten could be quite similar.

* * *

The blonde squinted into the blinding light reflected into his eyes. He much preferred normal showers. He hefted the bag, pointing its silver lined surface away from him. Granted, they were better than a cold shower, but he never would have imagined just how effective the morning sun was at turning water into boiling torture.

He nabbed an empty bag from a nearby pile, and began dumping half of his bag into the empty bag. It didn't take him long to figure out this trick, but the first time in the shower left him with blisters. He took a moment to fill the bags the rest of the way with cool water. Now he had twice the showering water at temperature below the melting point of flesh!

The shower stalls were ... Well... They were temporary, and it showed. He hung his bags up on the hook and allowed himself to briefly indulge in a bask under warm water. He moved his feet carefully across the bare wood floor. He swore to all things holy that if he got one more splinter, he would invent a planet-sized Rasengan just to obliterate this abominable terror of a structure.

The shower went better than expected. No splinters. He had a full bag just for rinsing and enjoying warm water. The shack didn't spontaneosly collapse, life was good.

He dried off with his towel and a new problem surfaced. "Well, I'm an idiot." He sighed. He forgot to bring a set of fresh clothes. He could throw on his old clothes, but he could practically smell them from where they sat. A brief debate settled it. He'd simply cloak his offensive parts in the towel and make a quick dash to the safety of his tent. He wouldn't be the first, and he could always play it off as a prank of some kind.

Fully prepared to dash across the camp to his tent, Naruto pushed open the door... And met a pair of lavender eyes that assumed the size of ramen bowls.

Instinct took over and he retreated back into the shower room commons, closing the door.

"Oh, for the love of- She has the Byakugan, it's nothing she hasn't seen before." He heard Tenten shout. Naruto briefly chastized himself - he was supposed to play it off as a prank.

"T-Tenten!" Hinata squeaked.

"What? I gave up on having any kind of dignity around Neji." The older kunoichi deadpanned.

"That's not... I wouldn't..." The Hyuuga stammered.

"Hey, I wasn't the one who led us here." Tenten quipped.

Naruto heard an awkward squawking noise amidst the silence. "Okay..." He started, turning toward the closed door. "I forgot my clothes - I just need to go back to my tent."

"We're the only ones around." He heard Tenten's voice shift. "It's not like you're naked or anything."

"Alright, fine." He grumbled. Sure, it was somewhat humiliating, but now that he knew what he was dealing with on the other side of the door... He slid it open, squinting against the sun as he stepped through. He was just about to dash off to the tent when he noticed how Hinata's face was the most intense shade of red he could imagine as he caught her glance away.

Somehow, that look set his heart pounding in his chest... Why, pray tell, would Hinata place him under a genjutsu?

* * *

Danzo set the report down on his desk with a sigh. The investigation into the Uchiha compound, itself, returned little but a few nondescript references. It was following up on those references where things got... Disturbing.

Symbols were traced back to the Uzumaki and Senju clans, names tied in with legends of gods, prophecies of those gods returning with the power of the Sharingan. There were even some writings that claimed the Sharingan could become the legendary Rinnegan. Normally, he would have written it off as typical Uchiha boasting.

However, a man wielding the Rinnegan did just make a crater out of the village. Then there was the Hyuuga girl's reaction to viewing the tablet. None of the Hyuuga he assigned to the investigation unit reported adverse reactions, but it could be the seal placed on the branch members. Regardless, the tablet brought into question the Sharingan, Rinnegan, and Byakugan - and that was a disturbing number of coincidences.

He looked over at the dark haired man sitting in the room. "Shikaku, I would greatly appreciate if you would take over the investigation of these... Whatever these are." He extended the report to the Nara head.

"Hmm..." The Nara mused over the report for a few minutes. "How fitting, the Uchiha had a secret monument to people who wielded Earth-shattering power."

"Initially, I was going to put together the chunin exam candidates from four years ago with some of the newly graduated genin to train in large team tactics. The invasion of Pain has illustrated how poorly our three man cells operate with other three man cells." Danzo stroked his chin.

The Nara's brow quirked. "Yes, a deployment to the ruins of The Village Hidden in the Eddies would be a suitable compounding of goals." He paused. "Do you suspect there are things there that only a living Uzumaki could recover?"

"It is hard to say. My operatives have not been very successful in recovering much of anything useful from the Uzu islands." The interim Hokage had to admit. "I just have a feeling that it is a better alternative than keeping him squandered away, here. Not to mention, our operatives have managed to identify the man who executed the attack on the village was of Uzumaki descent."

"And he had the Rinnegan." Shikaku narowed his brow. "My gut tells me that there is someone out there who is a lot farther along in understanding all of this than we are."

"And whoever it is has some long strings to pull from." Danzo concluded.

"My thoughts, exactly." Nara studied where the tent met the ground. "Look for an excuse to call a meeting of the Kage."

Danzo took a moment to figure on Shikaku's angle. He was always known for having multiple purposes stacked atop each move he made. Undoubtedly, someone with the resources to pull the strings of Pain and the Akatsuki would require monumental effort to identify, let alone combat. But there was another angle to this that Shikaku was playing. "Sacrificing generals is just the kind of strategic savagery I would expect from you, Shikaku."

The Nara simply nodded. "The greatest illusion is that the Kage is the king."

"So long as I seat this office, I will accept the risk." If it would give the nations strings to follow, then a meeting between the Kage would be worth it even if all Kage were lost.

"It is unfortunate that many truths will be lost to history." Shikaku adopted a distant look.

"All ninja, even Kage, are tools. Even the best and most well kept of tools will be sacrificed in the line of work." It was a philosophy Danzo embraced. While he didn't deny that ninja were also humans and all that implied - the job of a ninja was utilitarian.

"Very well." Shikaku nodded. "I will see to it that Tsunade remains incapacitated until a point when a meeting of the Kage is underway, or such a meeting is deemed an unrealistic goal."

Danzo laughed. "I suspected as much."

Shikaku shrugged. "Make sure you include security and extraction operations into the routines of that deployment. You never know just how pear shaped things are going to go."

* * *

"Sealing jutsu?" Naruto tilted his head at her, shadows from the overhead branches playing across his features.

"That unpredictableness of yours wouldn't happen to have any nuggets of information hidden away in that head of yours, would it?" Tenten shifted. She couldn't help but imagine smacking him upside the head multiple times as literal nuggets scattered out of his hears.

"Not really. There is that scroll the Toads have that deals with the Kyuubi... But I don't really understand how it works." The blonde's voice dropped.

"Wait... A scroll about the seal used for the Fox?" Tenten's felt her eyes light up. Scrolls always had interesting and useful stuff.

"Yeah. Freaked the hell out of me when they forced it down my throat." The blonde shivered. "Felt like I was swallowing a tree for weeks afterward."

Tenten, honestly, didn't know how to react to that. Probably something she had to be there to understand. "Uh... Would you mind if I took a look at it?"

"Uh..." the blonde seemed troubled. "I'm not quite sure. I think something happened to it when I swallowed it."

"But... Why would you eat a scroll?" Hinata shifted to look at Naruto.

"I don't know. The pervert and the toads were talking about stuff and then the toad leapt into my throat." He scrambled his hair.

"So was it a frog or a scroll?" Just what in the hell was the notorious knucklehead trying to say? Tenten was beginning to doubt he had any idea what seals were.

Naruto simply growled, biting his thumb. He placed his hand on the ground and the characters for a summoning stretched from his blood. A toad roughly the size of Akamaru sprang out from the smoke. Its figure was oddly distorted, its abdomen elongated.

"Ah, so I can still summon you." The blonde mused.

The toad looked around. "I did not imagine you would seek to alter the seal so soon." Tenten felt her brow perk. She was still skeptical, but this was more promising than throat-toads.

"Uh, well; my friend, Tenten, was curious about sealing jutsu and I really only have the one you do." The blonde motioned in Tenten's direction.

The toad met her skeptical look with one of his own. "Naruto," The toad began "Do you have any clue what could happen to you if the details of your seal were to be known by the wrong people?"

"Hey!" Tenten felt herself protest before realizing.

"Tenten is one of my friends." Naruto insisted.

The toad sighed. "Knowledge can be extracted." It gave Tenten a second look. "But darned if you aren't her spitting image."

"I'm whose image?" Tenten was used to being something of an outlier.

It seemed to contemplate for a moment, doing a double-take at Hinata. "Well I'll be damned... That elder is something else." The toad stood on two legs, its abdomen extending, revealing a large scroll encasing its body. "Very well. The rest I leave to you." The parchment shot out from the scroll, suspended in mid air.

The seal was simple, yet incredibly intricate. It was, also, unlike any other seal she had seen. Most seals were arranged in sprawling circular patterns twith rigid struts forming bridges and spokes. This seal was constructed as interlinked geometric structures vaguely reminiscent of-

"The Bagua..." Hinata spoke just above a whisper as she stood, walking up to the scroll.

Naruto perked forward. "Do you see something, Hinata?"

"It's the Eight Trigrams." She moved her hands across the scroll. She pointed to the spiral in the middle. "The spark of Taiji and Wuji forming Yin and Yang." She moved her hands to the radiating symbols "The Sixiang; Taiyin, Shaoyin, Taiyang, Shaoyang" Her hands migrated to the triangular arrangements. "And the Eight Trigrams illustrated as triangular compositions of Yin and Yang..." Then she stepped back. "Moon." She pointed to the circular spiral. "Stars." She pointed to the triangles. "Sun." She pointed to the square in the corner. "The writing is in the place of where Thunder should be, the element of division and splitting."

"Wow, I didn't know you knew about sealing jutsu, Hinata." Naruto walked over.

Hinata shook her head. "I have never studied it. These are all part of traditional symbols of the Hyuuga used for just about everything."

"I thought it looked similar to something Neji would have." Tenten admitted. "But the Fourth Hokage used this seal, didn't he?" She moved closer to the seal. The small characters that formed the seal looked more similar to what was traditionally used for sealing jutsu. They were just arranged in a way she'd never seen, before.

"Yeah - but Dad never mentioned Hyuuga." Naruto scratched his head.

Tenten stopped and looked at the blonde. "Who?" Hinata, for her part, could have had a rainbow spilling out of her mouth.

"Oh... Yeah - when I almost unleashed the Kyuubi, the Fourth showed up in my mind and fixed the seal." He scratched the back of his head.

"And... He's your father?" Tenten's mind was reeling. What a fucking day!

"That's what he said. And, I guess, I somehow kind of knew." Naruto gave a goofy smile.

"Alright." Tenten took a moment. So the dolt was actually the son of the legendary Fourth Hokage - the legend who sealed away a demon inside said dolt... Using a seal unconventionally designed around Hyuuga themes. "I'm ... Going to have to think about this for a bit."

* * *

Hiashi felt a tingling ... Anticipation? Excitement? He wasn't quite sure where to place the emotion as he looked at the old scroll. It took a lot of digging through archives, the disheveled evidence thereof spraled around him in the form of stacks of books, piles of scrolls, and a few old artifacts.

The tides of time worked to obscure all truths. Even the most immaculately preserved records of granite were burried in the shifting sands of human memory. But even as the tides of time worked to obscure, the threads of existence persisted to tie everything together for those with the diligents to work through the tangles, span the frays, and slip through the stretches.

It was ironic how important the trivial was. An old children's story, all but lost to time, could carry with it hidden origins and past events so beyond comprehension they were lost to the assumption of absurdity. And that is what Hiashi had before him. One of the oldest linguistic works the Hyuuga had to their name - a recounting of an old story the author heard while growing up.

Of course, the city he mentioned existed in no archeological records. The family name he spoke of did not exist in any records. Scholars long before Hiashi wrote the work off as a completely fictitious work - an amusing one, but fictitious none the less.

Hiashi would have agreed, except for the fact that it told the tale of a tree and princess who sealed herself away from the world. For the Uzumaki boy and his daughter to have visions vaguely similar... This was a work only referenced in old academia, and an obscure piece even then.

The events played over in his mind. The conversation he overheard, the legend of the box containing the cursed seal - which broke during the Kyuubi attack about six months into his wife's pregnancy with Hinata - and the tie-in to this ancient work deemed a fiction. Hiashi had to admit he was truthfully scared of what he would find in this old tale. Uzumaki's story could only be described as apocalyptic in nature, and for things of that era to be surfacing, now...

It fit the vision of their destiny all too well.

Hiashi carefully began unrolling the scroll. "May we all find the strength to meet our destiny, and have the wisdom to decide it justly."

* * *

Hinata felt the stupid grin plastered across her face, and it made her smile even more awkwardly. So, Naruto did get to meet his father - and it happened to be the Hokage he seemed to look up to the most. The emotions roiling through her stomach were overwhelming. They'd been wrong - all of those who insisted he was a nobody, a nothing - the'd been so horribly wrong ... Yet even after finding out, Naruto, the kind soul he was, did not rush to smear it in the face of those who caused him so much grief.

It was a testament to the man he'd become - he built the respect he had amongst the people. He did not need to ride on on his father's reputation. But most of all, he got to meet his father - a person he could not even form a vision of beforehand. Her body began to move on its own, her eyes fixated on the orange of Naruto's jacket. The patch of fabric swelled to consume her vision, and a need she was not even aware of was filled as she reveled in feeling his body against hers.

Naruto let out a surprised grunt. "Hinata?" He questioned as she felt his arms close comfortingly around her back.

"I'm ... I'm just glad you finally got to know." She squeezed. He'd spent so much time alone with only a name and a burden.

"I..." He seemed to give up on forming a response and simply returned her squeeze.

The sound of Tenten clearing her throat broke both of them from their moment. "The Lady Leaf hotel just opened if you two need a room, or something."

"What's wrong with here?" Hinata almost felt as if the baritone in Naruto's chest was massaging her. Though she felt her cheeks at Naruto's naive response.

Tenten narroed a brow at the blonde. "I suppose you are the student of the legendary pervert, after all."

Hinata felt Naruto shift with a large breath. "What do you mean by that?"

"What do you mean by suggesting doing that here?" Tenten shot back.

Hinata almost had to laugh at the unfolding scene. "Excuse me," the toad-scroll croaked. "I do not believe my summoner's intentions are or were at all perverted."

"What the hell is everyone talking about?" Naruto looked back and forth.

"If my services are no longer required, I will be returning, now." The toad rolled itself shut and collapsed.

Naruto instantly tensed, and Hinata felt an odd sensation as he burried his face just below her shoulder. "No! Not again!"

"N-Naruto!?" The Hyuuga tried to look past the blonde patch of hair almost in her eyes.

The blonde muffled a plea, "Don't let him jump down my throat again!" He peered over her shoulder at the toad, mouth pressed against her.

Hinata stretched to look at the toad, its mouth turned into a frown of what Hinata could only percieve as concern. "Please take care of him." The toad disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto stretched out and away from Hinata's shoulder, pulling his lower eyelid at where the frog had been standing. "No more throat climbing for you!"

Tenten scoffed. "Okay... Well, whatever. Tell Neji that I accept his invitation, Hinata. I've got some work to do, now." She turned and began walking away. "Oh, and thanks for the help, Naruto." She turned back around. "But hurt Hinata in any way and I'll cut you." She held a kunai out, threateningly.

Naruto held a contorted look of confusion on his face. "What is with everyone?"

Hinata sighed. "They are just confused, Naruto."

"Well then they should stop confusing me." He looked around. "But, since we're at the training grounds, anyway - do you want to train?"

Hinata didn't have to think about it very hard. After their last sparring match, she had been looking forward to another. There was something... Liberating ... About being aggressive toward Naruto. Then there were his shadow clones... While they looked like people - they were simply projections of Naruto. She could actually enjoy defeating them, an experience she didn't really have otherwise.

"Alright." She agreed. "But only if you're in that sage mode." She was curious to see the ability play out with her Byakugan again. It had looked spectacular when he was fighting Pain.

* * *

Shikaku made his way toward the Hyuuga compound. It was not often Hiashi requested his presence. The Hyuuga head tended to just invite himself wherever his interests took him. The man must be particularly troubled by something.

A younger branch member greeted him at the edge of the compound. "Welcome, Lord Nara. Lord Hiashi is anxiously awaiting you. Please follow me."

He followed after the younger man, glad for the guidance. The Hyuuga compound was a maze that perhaps only made sense to those who could see through walls. In either case, it was sure to infuriate intruders.

The branch Hyuuga stopped at a sliding door. "Lord Hiashi, Lord Nara to see you."

The door slid open. Shikaku noticed a peculiarly distant, even haunted look on Hiashi's face as he stepped through. "Ah, good. Thankyou."

The branch member nodded before departing. Shikaku looked the elder Hyuuga in the eye. "You look as if you are plagued by a poltergeist. What is going on?"

"I wish it were merely that." Hiashi said, turning. "Come. I will show you." Shikaku followed silently as the Hyuuga led him even deeper into the compound. The silent walk was eerily purposed, passing by numerous sections of identical hallway, turn after turn; staircase after staircase. Finally, Hiashi opened the door to what could only be described as an archive.

"I didn't know you did your homework without reading glasses, these days." Shikaku quipped.

Hiashi ignored the jab at humor, completely, striding to a scroll left sitting atop a reading table. "I am curious what you make of this." The Hyuuga offered a seat a the table.

Shikaku sat, giving the whole situation a skeptical look. What, pray tell, could his old friend have found to cause him such grief? "Alright..." He carefully opened the scroll and began to read.

At first, the story sounded like any other legend of take-your-pick... But then there was a particular account regarding a young man with eyes consisting of contentric circles. It was there that Shikaku began to think he was reading an autobiography instead of a work of fantasy fiction.

There were sages who worshipped trees and directed the currents of nature - notable since there was something about a tree going bat-shit crazy and wreaking havoc. Then there was a description of a final battle. Stones fell from the sky as the moon shone blood red behind a towering tree that was draining the very life from the planet.

The fact that this story mentioned what could only be described as the Rinnegan made this story 'troublesome.'

"Well." He said. "That is delightfully apocalyptic." Then the other factors processed. Hinata was recently involved with the tablet found in the Uchiha compound. Shikaku did not like, at all, how credible this was becoming.

"It gets better." Hiashi seemed to be studying him carefully. "I overheard my daughter and Uzumaki talking in the hospital. She spoke of a strange dream, and one of his clones returned to him with an additional memory attached." There was no mention of visions in the report. That would have been nice to know. "The one Uzumaki described was of a war involving a large tree and a box handed to a man with the Byakugan."

"That could just be..." Shikaku stopped at what Hiashi produced.

"These are the fragments of a box secretly passed down to each Hyuuga head." Hiashi set the array of clay pieces out on the table. "The box shattered during the Kyuubi attack when my wife grabbed it before we evaccuated. It was then that one of the nine tails struck the compound and shattered the box in her hands."

"Three months before Hinata was born..." Shikaku mused as he analyzed the fragments. Six months ago, he would have laughed this all off as Hiashi going senile. He always joked with the man that all of the word searches would finally do him in, especially once Hiashi began searching through the array of word-searches to add a third dimension to his amusement, finding words that were not really part of the word search.

But then one man showed up and blew the village to smitherines with other worldly powers. He just so happened to have a set of eyes that were considered a myth until he destroyed the village with them.

Planet-destroying tree myths that tie into a Hyuuga girl's visions and an Uzumaki boy's clone-memory were icing on the damned cake. Damn that stone tablet. He could be watching clouds, ignorantly blown away in the end of the world. But the past just had to taunt the present.

"Troublesome." Was all he managed, turning another fragment over.

* * *

Kurenai sighed as she walked. Though it was more like a waddle, hence the sigh. She never would get used to the awkwardness of pregnancy. On one hand, she was overjoyed at the idea of raising another life, at the feeling of nurturing and protecting something so fragile and precious. On the other hand, it could best be described as hell.

Crying without warning, cravings without reason, and even completely bizarre sexual urges compounded with continual discomfort and punishing bouts of feeling sick without being sick. All of it was part of the experience broadly described as 'pregnancy.'

She would normally journey out to one of the training grounds. It helped to get away from the bustling of the village in the refuges of the forest. Occasionally it was fun to test the instincts of new genin graduates with mild genjutsu. The quality had been dropping, unfortunately. She was able to convince a bunch of 14 year old kids that it had gone from broad daylight to pitch-black night-time in the blink of an eye.

Too many of the academy graduates operated on the assumption that what can't be seen can't hurt you... Which is downright suicidal in the world of ninjas. Even Naruto had a grasp of this concept despite the fact that he never cared to be not-seen. The boy was less of a ninja and more of an unstopable force of nature.

She approached a training ground that had a number Kurenai didn't care to pay attention to. At some point they all boild down to one set of clearings that looked eerily similar to every other set of clearings. It wasn't like anyone signed up to use a specific field, or anything. Kurenai briefly wondered if the training ground numbering was official, or just some dogma that had existed long enough that everyone followed it.

Movement in the field caught her eye. Naruto immediately stood out, squared off firmly with ... Hinata? Kurenai double-checked to make sure it was, indeed, her student. It had been a while since Kurenai and Hinata spoke. After Pain's attack, she'd gone to see her student... And immediately noticed Hinata was dealing with some form of depression. That she had so boldly placed herself in front of Pain was something of a surprise... But, at the same time, it made sense - seeing as Naruto was at stake.

Apparently, something had changed since she last saw Hinata. The young Hyuuga actually made the first move, sliding in at an angle to strike in a circular motion about Naurto. The confidence in Hinata's motions was palpable, and Kurenai couldn't help but feel her heart swell for her student. Whatever the blonde did, it made her comfortable enough to act without fear of judgment.

The blonde countered, intercepting each strike with the palm of his hand. Kurenai felt her face mirror Hinata's for a moment. One did not simply block the Gentle Fist. Hinata retreated backward. "That energy you're using. What is it?" The girl's voice pierced the clearing.

"The toads taught it to me." Naruto replied. "I can only do it when in sage mode. They call it Frog Kumite."

Hinata replied with an empty-palm strike that managed to stagger the blonde a bit. "Like that?"

"Wow!" Naruto gasped. "That is pretty cool! ... But I don't think it's the same thing. It felt similar, though." Kurenai could only surmise that the blonde could feel chakra while in that sage mode of his. But some sage ability related to the Hyuuga?

The blonde formed two clones, each charging the Hyuuga as he formed a Rasengan in each hand.

Hinata angled into one clone, exchanging a few quick blows before she broke away, opposite of the clone's momentum. The other clone leapt high and Hinata flipped backwards, clearing the clone's impact by a healthy margin. The two teens began to increase their speed. The Hyuuga danced under the first clone's strike in a blur.

The original Naruto saw the opportunity and charged with both Rasengan extended. Kurenai marveled at how quickly he closed the distance, even Kakashi would have been pressed to react.

Hinata had just repelled the second clone when the first had redoubled its efforts to coincide with Naruto's charge. The Hyuuga snapped into a spin - Kurenai recognized it as the Kaiten - Palm Revolving Heaven. Except a full dome never formed. Naruto's clone was sent spiralling and his Rasengans slammed into the partially formed wall of energy just as Hinata flipped out of the line of his charge.

Kurenai couldn't supress the thought that Hinata never intended or needed to fully form the technique.

Suddenly, a Naruto wielding Rasengans dropped into place where the first clone had been standing, and the blonde resumed his charge. Kurenai briefly noted the first clone in the background dropping into place where the original Naruto had been. The realization that the blonde had somehow layered a substitution jutsu into the shadow clone technique hit her right about the same time Hinata slammed her hands into Naruto's rasengans.

The result was unexpected. Both rasengans dissipated with barely a protest and Hinata was left holding both of Naruto's hands in her own. _Did Hinata-_ "You're going to have to do better than that!" She smiled, sweeping at the boy's legs. _. . . She did?_

Kurenai couldn't figure if the resulting heap of teenagers on the ground was due to Hinata's inexperience with grappling, or if her student had developed a devious streak in her. It was comical to watch the two stumble over each other and fall, either way. The fact that neither of them were scrambling to get up was absolutely adorable.

"We know you're there, Kurenai-Sensei." She heard Naruto call. While it wasn't entirely what Kurenai expected, it was getting more difficult for the blonde to surprise her. Naruto was his own self-contained explanation for things.

"That was an interesting fight, you two." Kurenai smiled as she approached the two.

"I know! Especially how she countered my Rasengan!" Naruto snapped up to his feet, extending a hand to Hinata. "How did you do that?"

The girl took his hand. "I... I don't know. I just did what felt natural. I can't describe it... It was like I wasn't doing anything."

Kurenai churned the thought in her mind for a moment. Obviously - the girl was doing something. While Naruto arguably could never truly train using the extent of his abilities, Hinata was certainly showing more prowess than she'd demonstrated before.

"Hmm..." Naruto's 'thinking' face gave the impression of much effort. "I think I know what you mean." Kurenai felt her brow perk as Hinata's expression shifted to a curious slant. "To collect nature chakra for sage mode, I have to do nothing... Or ... I can't even do nothing, I can't do anything."

Of course. That explained it. "Naruto... That doesn't make any sense." Kurenai protested.

The blonde ruffled his hair. "It's..." He dropped his hands. "It's like looking into a pond. If you want to find something on the bottom, you have to get out of the lake - or you end up splashing and stirring everything up so that you can't hope to see."

That made a bit more sense, but going about it had to be easier said than done. "Interesting." She afforded. Hinata seemed to be studying blades of grass. The normal tone of her skin meant that she was lost deep in thought. Hinata would be considered a genius if she made her thoughts known more frequently, the Jonin knew well. It also didn't help that much of her knowledge pertained to things the Hyuuga deemed important.

It was curious... The girl understood, well, the mechanics of most jutsu and even genjutsu. She never used them. Not even a simple substitution. It borderlined on suicide, given the Hyuuga bias for close quarters confrontation. Hinata took more interest in Genjutsu, but mostly in being able to defeat those genjutsu. Of all the people she had placed under genjutsu - Hinata was by far the most difficult to delude.

More curious was her ability to break others out of Genjutsu. Even exceptionally powerful genjutsu designed to counter an outside attempt to break it simply dispersed. At first, Kurenai thought Hinata was using some sort of Gentle Fist art on the chakra points - but it quickly became obvious that striking tenketsu was not required.

Hinata played shy and ignorant when questioned about it - but she had to realize and had to know what she was doing. At first, Kurenai had received it as an insult; as if Hinata thought she was above discussion. But, over time, it became apparent that the girl just didn't want to talk about it, and possibly even felt ashamed of it. Given how the Hyuuga fawned over Hanabi - it wouldn't surprise Kurenai if they shunned talents outside of physical combat.

Which, apparently, the girl had been holding back on. Or newly discovered. Kurenai had given up figuring out Hinata much like she'd given up on being surprised by Naruto.

Naruto shifted her direction. "Hey, Kurenai-Sensei?"

"Yes?"

"You're a Genjutsu expert, right?" The blonde almost pounced.

A few random ideas popped into her head of where this conversation would go, but Kurenai just settled on taking the bait. "I have been called one, yes."

"Are..." He looked over at Hinata. "Are there genjutsu that only one person can break?" He the eyes that met her were full of confusion.

Hinata snapped her eyes from the grass, bouncing between the two. For her part, Kurenai was amused. "And where did you get this idea?"

"Well..." He paused. "Ino said that I was under a genjutsu, and only one person could break it."

Kurenai felt the smile pull at the corners of her mouth, and she squashed it with a vengeance. This was just too adorable not to capitalize on. "And I suppose you think my student did this to you?"

Hinata squeaked. "W-What!?"

The blonde just lowered his head.

"Hinata," She turned to her student with a wink. "What have I told you about using that genjutsu on people?"

"B-But - I wouldn't! I don't even know any genjutsu!" The Hyuuga protested.

"Well, if you won't cooperate, I'll just have to tell Naruto how to break the genjutsu, then." This was just too much fun, and the Hyuuga's blank expression of shock was all the evidence to prove it.

"You will!?" Naruto jogged over to the Jonin.

"I will." There was one form of genjutsu Hinata had yet to be able to see through, and Kurenai used it to project her voice directly into Naruto's ear as she leaned down next to it.

Hinata's Byakugan flared. "S-Sensei... What are you telling him!?" The Hyuuga began to run toward the two.

No sooner had Kurenai finished informing the blonde did he lurch back. "Are you sure there's really a genjutsu?"

Kurenai nodded. "It's a genjutsu all kunoichi have."

Hinata stopped short, and Kurenai wondered if she was catching on.

Naruto looked back at Hinata, then met Kurenai's eyes. "B-But she'll kill me. There's no other way?"

"I'm afraid not, Naruto. It's a cruel, cruel genjutsu." Kurenai feigned a grimmace.

"What did you tell him to do, Sensei?" The look on the girl's face was sheer terror. "If... If it hurts him I won't forgive you!"

_So much for the student trusting the teacher._ There again, she had just been willing to die defending the blonde - if there was one thing to send her over the edge... "Calm down, Hinata." Kurenai reassured. "He will be fine once he breaks out of the genjutsu."

"Are you sure, Kurenai?" Naruto had backed up beside Hinata. "I mean... This is Hinata."

_You're the one who brought up the question..._ Kurenai thought. Though it was cute that he seemed to be taking her side. "Alright - suit yourself." She sighed. "Just remember how I told you to break it."

"What did she tell you to do?" Hinata looked sideways.

The blonde's cheeks turned a shade of red rivaling the brilliance of his hair. "Uh... It's best if I not say."

A sudden sensation caused Kurenai to jump. "Oh," She gasped. "I guess I deserved that."

"What happened?" Naruto tilted his head.

"He kicked." The Jonin patted her stomach.

"Oh, neat!" The blonde stepped forward before lurching to a stop. "C-Can I feel?"

* * *

Hanabi angled through the maze of halls in the Huuga compound. The look on her father's face when he saw the report she wrote on Hyuuga traditions said it all. In that moment, she felt she understood how her sister felt. Had she known, then, perhaps she would not have tried so hard, so early.

But she would not withdraw like Hinata did. Hanabi tried - offering to spar more with her sister, trying to get her to the point where she could feel the joy of pleasing Hiashi. But her sister remained isolated and withdrawn. She'd spent time with the old midwives, learning of plants, flowers; of old tales and arts that only existed in the echoes of history.

Hanabi liked to take the boar by the snout, as they say. She wasn't stupid, just more brazen and aggressive. If it was worth doing, it was worth throwing yourself into it and showing it that you were in control. And that is just what she planned to do. There was an archive full of historical texts and she planned to show history just who would know it.

She didn't quite expect to see a scroll laid open on the table for her, though. She set the odd clay fragments aside as she set herself up at the table. The scroll appeared very old - and where better to learn about history than old things?

* * *

Notes:

I struggled with portions of this chapter, especially imagery. I also had to keep myself from spelling out the whole story of the origins of the ninja world. I like to think I'm getting you all to exercise your analytical thinking skills. Though I'm sure a lot of you already have this figured out. Shout-outs to all who want to postulate on what is going on in the reviews section.

Also, on an amusing note, as I was writing the final scene with Hanabi - "Firework" came on over the radio here in HyVee. I just thought it an interesting coincidence. For those who do not get it - Hanabi's name translates to "Firework." - Hinata is "A Place in the Sun"

And, yes, if you all review the depictions of the key to the Kyuubi's seal - you'll see precisely what I make reference to - and find it in agreement with depictions of Shinto and Taoist cosmology.


	5. 05: Army

Foreword:

This comes out a bit later than I wanted, and I apologize. I've been very distracted by recent events in the real world, and with other events in my own country.

I will take a moment to caution you all about the media - and not in the way you are typically told. The problem with most of the major media outlets is very simple.

A lack of investigation.

They are happy to report what 'sides' of an issue say, claim, etc - but rarely do they actually investigate the heart of the matter. For all of the hooplah about embedding reporters into militaries and 'coverage' of conflict zones - we see very little of what actually goes on and a whole lot about what someone thinks is going on.

The same can be said of many of the issues that the media covers. From claims of corruption within our government (from my experience - true by default - the government and its institutions are stupidly prone to corruption; the military is no exception and I saw plenty of it while serving) to coverage of social topics. It's all 'he-said-she-said' on a professional scale.

It's a way to dehumanize the 'other side' and to make it easier to portray those who believe in one course of action or another to be heartless, stupid, evil, uneducated, etc.

Beware of this system. It is designed to split us up and to convince us to hate each other. It is designed to make us be quiet and to not discuss the issues we need to discuss.

If we discuss what we know about a problem and why we think the way we do - then it almost always comes down to some common ground or common belief where the views of others make sense. We still may not agree with them - but at least we understand where the other comes from.

But we have to accept that others will have opinions that we don't agree with. We have to accept that the opinions and choices of others will be offensive, at times. We have to talk to each other, rather than let the media tell us about each other.

Now, enough of my petty attempts to save the world from the armageddon I see coming our way. On to the story!

* * *

Chapter 5: Army

Naruto gave the elder Hyuuga a smile as bright as the morning sun behind him. "You wanted to see me, gramps?"

The Hyuuga's brow perked. "Uzumaki, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from using such casual speech. I am the head of the Hyuuga clan, not a thrift store manager."

"Uh..." Naruto squirmed for a moment. "What should I call you, then? It just feels wrong to be so... Fake."

"While I applaud your inexplicable aptitude for wisdom, Uzumaki; by the way, it is most unsettling; there is such a thing as image." The man explained, turning toward the Hyuuga compound.

For the life of him, Naruto couldn't figure out why anyone would put effort into being someone they weren't. "I can't say I understand - people always gave me hell for my orange jumpsuit."

"Perhaps you have a point." Hiashi said, rounding a corner. "There is a time for all manner of change."

"I guess..." Naruto wasn't really trying to make a point... But if his words helped someone else, it was a good thing. "What did you want to see me about?"

Hiashi stopped abruptly next to a set of double sliding doors. "Something that all fathers must discuss with young men sharing a mutual interest in their daughters."

Naruto's head tilted a bit. "I am not sure I understand..."

"You have been spending a lot of time with my oldest daughter, lately." The older Hyuuga's eyes were locked on the blonde.

Somewhat to Naruto's own surprise, his eyes found everything but the Hyuuga to look at. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, slightly. "I... Well, I guess." Naruto's thoughts were divided across his fascination with the sensation of danger. What did he know about fathers and daughters?

"You care about my daughter, am I correct?" Hiashi's eyes didn't move.

Instinct was crawling across Naruto's bones. Naruto had not the slightest clue what this was all about, but it was dangerous. He did, however, find Hiashi's eyes. "Of course I care for Hinata. She's been..." A strange flurry of words flooded his mind, for a moment, before the statement simply rolled off his tongue "who I have been missing."

A brief smile tugged at Hiashi's mouth with a slight jolt of what might have been a chuckle. "For the life of me, Uzumaki, I will never know if your depth is intentional or one never ending coincidental conspiracy of the cosmos."

Whatever the hell that meant, and the lack of any tone gave the blonde few cues to go off of. Naruto stepped back, defensively, as Hiashi began to move.

The Hyuuga slid open the doors, motioning for the blonde to step through. "Regardless," Hiashi started once more "There are certain things that are normal for people who enjoy each other's company to consider, and I must make sure that you are considering the things my daughter has been raised to consider."

Naruto's vision tracked between Hiashi and the open portal, around the door frames, and back to Hiashi. If he walked through that door...

"I assure you, Uzumaki, that I have more sense than to try and trap the young man who defeated a foe who single-handedly turned the village into a crater." Hiashi stepped through the entryway.

Naruto looked on, a flood of uncertainty washing over him as he followed through the threshold. What, pray tell, could a person like the warm and compassionate Hinata have to do with a conversation this... Unsettling?

* * *

Sakura shuffled her way with the crowd as it swung wide around a team of workers sawing wood planks off of a log. Just behind the immediate distraction, fish swam in an array of tanks improvised from bathing basins to pitched crates and even a kettle. The store owner was ushering people through the wall-less frame of what would eventually be his store beneath the apartment building.

The supply of lumber had essentially been depleted by this point. To meet construction demands, logs were cut from the local forests and cut on site. Critical pieces still had to be treated and properly dried, but that dedicated operation had set up not too far outside of town.

A sharp hiss drew her eyes. A small team of blacksmiths were turning out nails, a commodity that had also been depleted. In the brief time it took her to pass the outdoor setup, she watched one blacksmith hammer out four nails with machine-like practice.

Sakura had tried her hand at it once when visiting Tenten. Fifteen minutes later, she had a cross between a pair of scisors and an icicle about four times bigger than the nail she was aiming for. There was far more finesse to blacksmithing than met the eye - and Sakura felt her efforts could be better applied to other hobbies.

The bustle of town thinned, the sharp crack of hammering drifted into a dull thud. Sakura crested over a small grassy hill stretching just beyond the edge of the rising village, panning her eyes across the scene that rested just below. The field had become a frequent meeting and impromptu training ground for the Leaf's ninja.

A small crowd sat reclined against the slope of the hill as two figures squared the field. Sakura felt her heart momentarily skip a beat when her eyes realized who it was.

"It's about time boardhead." Ino's voice came from the right. The platinum haired young woman pointed an accusing sprig of some variety of grass at her. "You're about to miss the big rematch."

"I am curious, Lady Hinata, to see how your handle of the Gentle Fist has improved." The cool voice slid across the field.

"I was actually hoping to try something else, Cousin Neji." The light, almost whispy voice replied.

"Suit yourself." The male Hyuuga smiled. "Though I must admit I am curious about this 'something else.'"

Hinata smiled in return. "Come closer, and I will show you."

Sakura felt a mild tingling in her toes as Neji began to move. She would almost never admit it, but the memory of Hinata's first fight with Neji served as a huge motivation to push her through the medical corps' training. While seeing Naruto and Sasuke tear themselves up was an obvious influence - what pushed her to seek greatness was the early lesson that the Gentle Fist taught the young girl. The little things, the minor details, were just as deadly as the missing limbs and gaping holes.

"So show me." She heard Neji as he slid in close to Hinata.

Hinata's reaction was not what Sakura would have expected from a Hyuuga. The girl pivoted with a slight rotation of the arms before thrusting both hands out, hard, into Neji's chest. Hinata recovered into an angled stance as Neji rolled with the fall back to his feet.

Sakura had reviewed Hinata's medical records after taking up her position in the hospital. It was a troubling set of data. While the Leaf medical corps could heal parts of the body, Hinata's heart and lungs simply weren't recovering like they should have.

"Interesting." Neji settled into the classic stance of the Gentle Fist. "But not every enemy is going to come to you."

It was at this point that Sakura was sure she had entered some sort of parallel universe. Hinata _jumped_, landing just outside of Neji's reach before scooping forward into a hard upward thrust with both arms. Neji shifted around her attack, preparing to deliver a few strikes to her side when the girl rounded, slamming pawed hands against her cousin's shoulders.

The Leaf really tried hard to save the Hyuuga heiress's life. But every physical indication was that they were simply proping up a failing system. The writing in the statistics were clear - Hinata Hyuuga was dying, and there was not a medical ninja or witchdoctor in the Leaf who could do a thing about it. Even the Hyuuga medical practices offered no solutions to reversing whatever damage was done.

Neji rolled back, pulling into the familiar swirling mass of impenetrable energy. Hinata broke her advance, dodging off to the side. Before she had recovered her stance, Neji collapsed the technique, launching from it almost before it had collapsed. He jabbed toward her hip, but connected with her forearm, instead.

The consequences played out almost instantly. Hinata's hand locked around Neji's wrist, and she drew herself laterally. The already over-extended Neji was pulled forward, over his center of gravity, and onto the ground. The female Hyuuga continued for a few paces. "This worked better than I expected." She cooed.

Neji blew his hair out of his eyes before beginning his struggle to stand.

Hinata stepped out a few paces more. "Are we done, Cousin Neji?"

Neji struggled again, as if in response, and Hinata pulled him out a few more paces, putting pressure on his locked elbow. "Yes, Lady Hinata. We are done." The muffled, neutral reply came from behind a sheath of hair.

Hinata helped raise Neji to his feet, moving to pick bits of grass and debris out of his hair. "I'm sorry about your clothes." Hinata brushed some dirt off of a grass stain.

"It can be washed, Lady Hinata." He said, adjusting his hair band. "I am intrigued by that style, though." The two began walking back toward the array of ninja, who had begun chattering excitedly.

Then, suddenly, after the Chunin Finals and Orochimaru's attack - Hinata was fine. While spontaneous recovery is not unheard of in medicine; every indication was that Neji had, perhaps inadvertently, broken something within the young Hyuuga. It troubled her enough to bring it to Tsunade's attention. After reviewing the available records - even Tsunade doubted that she could have done much to help Hinata.

Sakura asked Kiba and Shino about it... And that is where the story made her hair stand on end. Someone wearing a Leaf anbu uniform performed some kind of medical technique on Hinata during the exam finals. Interestingly, it had been just as Naruto was presumed to have lost his match with Neji when Hinata's injury began causing her serious problems.

There was no anbu on the Leaf roster with anywhere near the medical knowledge to do something about it.

Tenten joined the Hyuuga duo as they approached the group of K11 ninja. "I just want to say that I helped her develop that!"

"It was a most impressive display of the energy of youth!" Lee appeared, walking on his hands. "Neji, now is the time for us to train as hard as Lady Hinata has to achieve a similar youthful briliance!"

"Seriously," Kiba yawned into the sun. "What planet are you from?"

"The youthful planet of volcanic flames of youth, of course." Shino commented, dryly.

Sakura felt herself chuckle with the rest of the group. It was a shame they did not often get the opportunity to do things like this.

"So what was that style?" Choji shifted his legs. "It didn't look like anything I've seen the Hyuuga use."

"It - It isn't complete." Hinata shifted a little bit.

"Now is not the time for modesty, Hinata." Tenten set her hand on the shoulder. "You've brought back a style that hasn't been seen for hundreds of years."

Sakura felt her brow quirk. "Hundreds of years?"

"It was in some old books." Hinata seemed to be studying everyone's shoes.

"The Hyuuga have a lot of old books, apparently. I saw Hinata beating up a training dummy one day and kind of got sucked into the project." Tenten shrugged.

"So... Why did they stop using it?" Kiba stood. "Seems like it's pretty bad ass."

Hinata fidgeted, while Tenten dug out a scroll. "Here, this will make more sense." The weapon mistress said, unsealing a storage scroll. A spear appeared, and she tossed it to Hinata.

The female Hyuuga moved similar to the earlier engagement, rolling the spear low and bringing it parallel with her chest to push against Neji's chest with the shaft in a slow-motion reenactment. Neji seemed to play along, taking a few extra steps back, allowing Hinata enough room. She took a short hop, dropping the spear low to shove it up at an angle. Neji rolled around the tip as Hinata adjusted her posture to deliver a swift strike with the parallel shaft of the spear. Neji then grabbed the spear and Hinata proceeded to draw him out in a similar manner as before, stopping before he toppled over.

"It's the Gentle Step." Hinata said, her light voice punctuating what could be considered a rebirth.

Sakura would later confirm with Kakashi that Kabuto had infiltrated the Chunin exam finals after concealing himself as an Anbu. Tsunade confirmed that Kabuto was Orochimaru's medic and research assistant. The man, therefor, knew a lot of things about stuff.

And he just happened to take a break from killing Anbu to completely anonymously save Hinata's life.

Sakura knew it was just the product of her imagination, but when she saw Hinata act shy and evasive, it irked her. It almost seemed like she knew - something - anything, and was holding it back. While she couldn't see the girl's intent as malicious - there was a darker part of Sakura that insisted Hinata was not one to let out of sight.

It was a frustrating feeling - because Sakura found the girl absolutely adorable and somehow felt the two understood each other on a fundamental level. Regardless, the circumstances surrounding Hinata's recovery were not her fault. Sakura swallowed the sensation as she refocused on the discussion.

"That is interesting." Shikamaru noted. "This would indicate that, at one time, the Hyuuga commanded somewhat large armies. The Gentle Step evolved out of the techniques used by the spear lines."

"Assume you are correct." Shino shifted his glasses. "Why would they abandon the technique?"

"Because a line of spearmen would be blown away by the power of a single ninjutsu." Sai said from behind everyone.

"Sai, what have we told you about lurking?" Sakura chastized. The guy seriously had no idea how ... Intense ... His awkwardness could be. Intense was the proper word to describe his awkwardness. There was just something about his smile, posture, and presence that was mildly condescending, even threatening. His placid indifference could be both intimidating and infuriating.

Perhaps that was why the platinum seasoned porkchop found him so interesting. He was a ROOT-engineered mind-fuck. At first, Sakura suspected Ino had a romantic interest in Sai - but as time wore on, it became apparent the fascination was more ... Clinical. No doubt, the Yamanaka wanted to crack such an unusual mind open and see what the malfunction was.

"So... You think this goes back before Ninjutsu? What is that, at least a thousand years? How is that possible?" Kiba swatted at some grass.

The group looked up at a round of laughter as a genin ran, screaming, from the battlefield. He shouted something about tree-men sprouting from the ground. A young girl with a smug look on her face returned to her seat. Finally, a good semaritan stood up and chased down the young man to release him from the genjutsu.

"And what happened to the armies?" Shino said, sunlight glinting off of his glasses as turned back to the group.

Sakura ground her molars. Why did every mystery have to have an ominous edge to it, these days?

* * *

Naruto squinted against the sun, stepping to block the searing sensation with the branches of a large oak tree. He thought back to the conversation with Hiashi. He was an orphan... Family was something he always wanted, it never occurred to him that it was something he could build. The soles of his sandals scraped against the bark of an exposed root as he made his way toward the trunk. Did the conversation mean that Hinata wanted to build a family with him, some day?

He flopped to the ground, propping against the trunk. He, honestly, never considered such a thing. He never once thought about the idea of a family when he was fixated on Sakura. Naruto thought she was pretty, and all of the guys wanted rights to hug, kiss, and claim the pretty girls as theirs. It was only natural for Naruto to think the same about Sakura.

It seemed very shallow when he thought about it. Sure - he and Sakura developed a friendship and appreciation for each other, but it wasn't really something they only shared with each other. It lacked a certain intimacy. He really didn't recognize it until he thought about it... But how Hinata saw Naruto was how she saw no other person. He had to admit, he allowed her closer to him than he'd let any other person.

But a family? What could he possibly know about raising one of those? And if Hinata truly wanted one, she deserved someone who had a clue.

"You know, he's changed a lot since you fought Cousin Neji years ago." A sharp feminine voice came from the other side of the tree.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know the tree was occupied." Naruto jested, shifting to catch sight of honey brown hair on the other side.

"Sis has changed a lot since then, too." She seemed to ignore his comment.

A wave of realization swept across him. "You must be Hanabi, then, right?"

"I guess this is the first time we've talked, isn't it?" The girl stayed propped against the tree, presumably staring off into the distance. "He never really knew how to raise us, Father. I've only heard stories of Mother. To hear Sis talk about her, sometimes, makes me a little jealous that I don't have one full memory of her."

"At least you get to hear about her." Naruto let his voice drop a bit. "I don't really know who my mother was, even."

There was a moment of silence. "Thinking back," the fledgling teen started "I have probably never had a healthy view of Father. All I ever wanted was to be worthy in his eyes, but I soon realized that my mistakes were met with more orders and demands while Father would despair with every one of my sister's mistakes and failures."

Naruto simply sat, somehow finding the leaves dancing in the breeze to be a sight that helped to relate to what the girl was saying.

"In a twisted way, I guess, I wanted to see that despair, well. It didn't matter whether I succeeded or failed. No matter how hard I pushed myself, it was always another task, another set of instructions to shore up a weakness. I hated him." He could hear her shift. "I hated that he showed emotion for her, and was a statue for me. I would have rather him pained by my failures than approving of my successes, but when I tried failing, it never worked."

What could Naruto say to that? If it was one thing he got plenty of when he was a kid, it was emotion. The overwhelming majority of it was anger and disgust - but at least the people he wanted to make happy felt something one way or the other. "I hope things are different, now."

"They are." She said, rather flatly. "Although, to be honest, it isn't just that he changed. After a while, I realized that I would not have tried as hard if he would have given me what I was working so hard to try and get. If I didn't hate him, I wouldn't have tried so hard to show his challenges as beneath me. I would not be who I am, today."

"But, still..." Was she seriously saying she was thankful for ... Abuse?

"We always have to do things we do not want to do. After your match with Neji and the attack of the Sound and Sand, I no longer needed hatred to motivate me, but I wouldn't have survived the attack were it not for Father's intensity." He heard Hanabi's clothes rustle and turned to see her standing.

"I ... I am still not sure I understand. Why tell me all of this?" He asked.

The girl shrugged. "It just felt like something would be left undone if I didn't. Plus," She added "You have the power to change." She pointed to her eyes. "No one can see the whole of destiny, but yours is the destiny of change. Everyone who meets you changes because of who you are."

* * *

Shikaku narrowed his eyes at the way the donation box was turned. He was not entirely surprised, but it was not something he would have expected. The interruption had been far briefer than he expected. He almost always contributed donations, and today he would do the same.

"How are things going with the reconstruction?" The shop owner, a graying man, asked.

"Better than expected, worse than hoped." He dropped in 500 Ryo. "How has the charity been running?"

"Everyone is in need of it, lately." The man admitted, placing the items from Shikaku's list into a bag. "But it is times like this when we should be most charitable, no?"

"Indeed." Shikaku smiled. "Thank you very much." He said, receiving the bag. He paid for the goods and stepped back back into the flow of human traffic. Butterflies danced in his stomach as he made his way back to his tent and he struggled to keep a normal appearance about himself.

The Nara were always prime targets for espionage. Nothing would draw the eye of a spook quite like a giddy Nara skipping home from grocery shopping. That wouldn't look suspicious or anything. No reason to put the store under surveillence, start following frequent customers, and torture merchants for information.

He ducked inside his tent. He ignored what he knew would be inside the bag, stocking the groceries away before bothering to touch the notebooks and pad of paper that had been added for him. It was always the one with the bent spiral binding. He grabbed the exact middle of the notebook's spine between his thumb and middle finger and trickled some chakra into the notebook.

A small scroll appeared within the spiral binding, the notebook disappearing. It was an interesting system that was simple enough when you knew what you were looking for, but offered many ways for someone attempting to intercept the message to get things wrong. He carefully compressed the spiral binding while applying more chakra. The binding glowed briefly before dissolving and crawling across the scroll to form shapes, figures, and images.

It took a lot of his own research, deduction, and careful observation; but it was clear to Shikaku that, decades ago, he was inducted into Jiraiya's legendary spy network. After he observed the network for a while, it seemed to largely have a life of its own. Some people were part of it only temporarily. Others were the fixed points that helped the network endure. Some seemed to know they were part of a much larger network, others were just a cog in the machination.

It was frustrating for Shikaku. On one hand - the spy network Jiraiya had developed was an impressive and unique life form to study. It got injured, it healed, it ate, it slept, it grew, and it strained. Some parts were aware, some parts were not. On the other hand - the more Shikaku learned about it, the more he knew, the more dangerous he was to it. Even Jiraiya had adopted a rather hands-off approach to his spy network. The more people were known to be a part of it, the less effective it was. The more a captured individual knew about the network, the greater the damage done to the network by their capture.

After Jiraiya died, Shikaku expected the network would live on without him for a time. The destruction of the Leaf complicated things, though. The network had to re-establish connections, re-negotiate procedures, and make sure that operatives and informants were not compromised or in need of extraction.

The first item in the drop was a general broadcast message across the network. General broadcasts were meant for those who held more permanent roles in the network and were aware of the network's existence. Apparently, Jiraiya trained a successor to take his place in the network. Or, at least, that is what the notice claimed.

Shikaku read it over, interest piqued. If Jiraiya did train a successor, it was good news for the long term survival of the network. It would be a very regrettable loss for the Leaf if they did, in fact, lose touch with Jiraiya's network. Sources stretched to the highest echelons of the Sand (it would not surprise Shikaku if the KazeKage, himself, was a part of it) and there was an impressive amount of information about the Akatsuki organization that made its way back to the Leaf. Just as puzzling was how much information about Orochimaru made its way through the network.

Shikaku took a moment. It would almost be too obvious for Naruto to be the one Jiraiya trained to inherit the network.

But...

Who would expect the notorious knucklehead to be the kingpin of what had to be one of the largest spy networks on the continent? Naruto had exceptionally strong people skills with his honest and open nature. He was the type of person you would trust secrets to; the type of person you would help because you knew he would bend over backwards to pull you out of hell. And... Who would have expected Jiraiya to build up an intelligence network?

Of course, it could just as easily be someone claiming to be the successor - or someone else who Jiraiya had trained.

Still, it would do well for those who were keeping the network alive to know that someone was taking responsibility for keeping things alive. Before too much longer, others would receive the same information in their drops, and the flow of information and requests for it would start to pick back up.

Obviously, Shikaku was in a rather privileged position, being set as one of the end-points for what he presumed was much of the network's total traffic. He didn't contribute to the network, at least, not knowingly. That much was fine with him. He'd come to the understanding long ago that he was supposed to advise the Leaf based on the information from the network, not to be an active part of it. People like him were under far too much surveillence for him to be very effective at injecting information into the network. Information had many ways of finding its way to him and very few ways of leaving his custody.

* * *

Naruto knew he was running a little late. He really didn't care too much, Kakashi always managed to get away with it, and he did feel a little lost on the road of life. Hanabi left just as suddenly as she'd started talking to him. The whole Hyuuga family, he decided, was weird. Not that weird was bad... But weird was most certainly weird.

Did Hanabi know what was on his mind? Or was she simply glad to have someone outside of the family to vent to? Hiashi was pretty clear when he indicated that Naruto should begin thinking about family and what it meant to have one. But it didn't sound like Hiashi had much of an idea on how to raise a family. Or... Did he, and Hanabi simply didn't understand? But she did come to an understanding about it.

Naurto ruffled is hair as he made his way around the outskirts of town. He had way too much on his mind to properly respond to all of the pleasantries that were shot his way these days. He crossed into a recently cleared section of forest that would take him to the field everyone was to meet in, stepping heedlessly over stumps and crunching through fallen twigs.

Just what did Hanabi mean when she said that no one could see all of destiny? Could the Byakugan see destiny? Then why did Neji insist that his destiny was to lose? Hanabi did say that no one could see the whole of destiny - but how could you see destiny and not see something so profound happening five minutes later? Was that the mistake Neji made? Or did Neji simply see what he needed to see to fulfil his destiny?

Again, Naruto held his head to keep his skull from exploding. He couldn't say he really believed in destiny. Things happened because people worked at them, not because they were destined to happen. After all, if everyone simply sat around waiting for destiny, it would never come. So, whatever the Hyuuga thought they were seeing, it didn't change that there was work to be done. Neji lost because he thought he knew what was supposed to happen rather than paying attention to what was happening.

Naruto felt an amount of contentment with his revelation on that issue as masses of people began to come into focus over the hill. He exchanged some pleasantries as he made his way through the crowd of ninja, thankfully not delving into any kind of deep conversation. He spotted Hinata and Neji standing off from the main mass, and began making his way over. The rest of the "Rookie Nine" and "Konoha Eleven" began to peek in and out of view from the shifting bodies of the crowd.

"Hey, Naruto!" Choji bellowed. "We were wondering when you would get here."

The blonde flet his face lift into a smile as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"You missed a most youthful display from Lady Hyuuga!" Lee informed. Kiba glared back at Lee as both were frantically doing pushups while facing each other.

The blonde caught the blush of the Hyuuga teen. "I..."

"Oh," Naruto couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in himself. "I didn't mean to."

"It's okay, Naruto." Hinata moved to his side.

"Well, now that you all are here." A familiar, casual voice drawled. The group turned to see Kakashi, Kurenai, Gai, and Yamato overlooking the fringe. "We can begin discussing the new mission assignment."

There was a sudden outburst of noise as most of the group began talking at once. Yamato cringed, "Hold it!" He commanded. "One at a time. Shino?" He motioned to the placid chunin.

Shino's eyebrows perked above his glasses for a moment. "We've heard rumors that this is to be a large group assignment. Is such a thing wise with the village in this state?"

"Not to douse your flames of youth," Gai motioned with his arm. "But the village has been in many capable hands before you twelve came along."

"Each of you will be assigned a group of three recent academy graduates to oversee and train with two Jonin acting as your advisors." Kurenai picked up.

"That's fifty ninja!" Sakura blurted.

"That is an unusually large group." Neji was found next to Tenten. "May I ask where we are going?"

"The ruins of Uzushiogakure - The Village hidden in the churning eddies." Yamato spoke flatly.

There was a quiet moment. "Those ruins are still in Fire Country." Sakura said.

"That they are." Gai boldened. "It is an excellent way for our new graduates to get some quality training!" The Jonin's smile glistened.

Kakashi sighed. "Some of our intel indicates that the Akatsuki are interested in very old things. The leading clan of the Hidden Eddie was wiped out for its advanced knowledge of powerful sealing techniques." Tenten seemed to straighten in the corner of his vision. "The village leadership believes it prudent to investigate the ruins of Uzushiogakure under a heavy guard."

"Normally," Kurenai continued, "the notorious Konoha Eleven would be considered sufficient for the task." She folded her arms. "The recent attack, however, illustrated that many of our genin are lacking in experience and training. It was also noticed that we have become far too focused on small ninja squads to fulfil contracts while neglecting larger group tactics."

"You all will train the newer genin in general abilities and wargame larger unit tactics." Yamato followed. "You all will meet with your genin squads later this evening and you will deploy tomorrow evening. You can expect conditions to be relatively similar to how they are, currently, in the village." There were a few sighs. "The mission length is expected to run about three months, but you will have regular supply shipments and are not far from a major shipping port. You should be able to pack fairly light."

"I take it there will be a research team to guard?" Kiba scratched his neck.

"There will be a research team following about two weeks behind you." Kakashi shifted. "That will give you guys time to sweep the area for traps and organize watch procedures."

"There will be a more official briefing by the interim Hokage before you all depart, and the Jonin selected to be your advisors will be there to help guide you all." Kurenai adopted a soothing tone.

"Who will be our Jonin advisors?" Ino flipped her hair.

"That hasn't been decided, yet." Kakashi's eyes almost appeared to smile.

"You all can break for lunch," Yamato stepped forward. "We will all meet back here at fourteen hundred. If the sun is anywhere near the Fourth Hokage's head," He motioned to the mountain. "You're late."

The four Jonin dispersed, wordlessly.

"Does the sun even set near the Hokage monument?" Kiba tilted his head.

Naruto looked sideways at Hinata. "I guess..." He took note that she was distracted about the time he noticed the shadow crawling over both of them.

"You two are going to start talking." Ino craned, hands on her hips, flanked by the rest of the Konoha Eleven. "Now."

* * *

Hiashi pinched his brow. To whom could he entrust both of his daughters and the son of his twin brother? Half of the names, he didn't even recognize. The Hyuuga cast a glance at Shikaku, who seemed to shrug in response. Choza simply seemed to be spacing into the distance, and Inoichi was pinching his chin.

"Honestly, I really don't see why Kakashi should not be involved." A voice spoke up from the left.

"Does his mission to Wave bring up any alarms?" A second reacted. "He opted to continue that mission and nearly killed himself and his whole squad."

"He was also the mentor of the Uchiha boy." Yet another voice chimed in. That was sure to start some fireworks.

"Is the master to blame for all of his student's decisions?" The first voice croaked.

"The boy clearly had deep issues, and yet Kakashi continued to teach him increasingly powerful techniques. One of which nearly killed the boy who is now our acclaimed hero." The second voice shot back.

"The Uzumaki boy does not seem to hold it against him." A new voice broke in.

"Just to keep things in perspective, he also believes in bringing back the Uchiha boy." Yet another voice.

This was going to be a long Jonin council meeting.

* * *

Hanabi yawned, sitting down beneath a tree at the edge of the meeting field. She still had a while until she had to meet with... Well, she was never really put on a ninja team. She was almost always training with her father since she graduated the academy. She flipped her backpack around and carefully withdrew a metal case. She cracked it open, revealing the cushioned interior before she withdrew the old scroll.

The story followed a young man and his childhood friend in a world full of seemingly magical objects and alien creatures. She was a kind and compassionate girl and was eventually selected for some kind of ritual that occurred every thousand years. She was sent to a faraway land, perhaps even another planet.

But something went wrong. Words were used that Hanabi wasn't sure she understood properly. The protagonist, who seemed to deliberately avoid naming himself, ended up in a warrior caste and was sent to the same land his childhood friend was sent to. Somehow, she did something she wasn't supposed to.

Hanabi's heart wrenched with the scene describing how his childhood friend destroyed most of those he'd arrived with. She'd become terrifyingly powerful, and a haunting shell of the girl he once knew. The wind gently rustled her hair as she began to follow him through his struggle for survival in an alien world. He met up with a few people who survived his caste, and they were just meeting- A shadow crossed the page.

"Hey," A teen, not much older than her, smiled. "If you're supposed to be with us, then it's almost time for things to start." He motioned to the crowd of gathering genin, his blue scarf trailing in the wind.

"Konohamaru!" A blonde girl yelled. "Stop flirting and get back over here!"

"I am not!" He shouted back over his shoulder. "Sorry," He said, turning back to her, extending a hand to help her up. "My team is crazy."

Hanabi took the boy's hand, rising to an awkward stand. "Thankyou." She managed. Usually, people saw her eyes and just left her alone. The Hyuuga, honestly, was not sure what to make of someone voluntarily communicating with her.

"Well, I should get back. Nice meeting you!" He cheered before bolting back to the crowd. Hanabi simply watched for a moment before storing the scroll and departing with her things.

* * *

Sakura's heart pounded in her ears and she felt the hair on her arms bristle. It simply couldn't be enough that Hinata passed out after seeing some kind of stone tablet in a shrine room beneath the Uchiha compound. Oh, no, that would be far, far too bland. Now she was getting visions.

Oh, and Naruto, too. Not just any visions, mind you. The visions seemed to be related, somehow. That was fucking fantastic.

"Hey, Sakura." Ino nudged. "Are you okay?"

Sakura noted Hinata dip shyly amidst the ongoing conversation. Her stomach did a flip and the base of her neck tingled. "I ... Not here, not now."

Sakura's vision blurred for a moment. _God damn it, Ino. Get out of here._

_Just a moment - I-_ The foreign voice cropped up inside her head.

_I said OUT!_ Sakura let loose a burst of chakra as Ino shuddered next to her. "That was rude." Sakura narrowed her brow at her friend.

"This has to do with Orochimaru?" Ino mouthed.

"I said not now." Sakura whispered back. Ino had gotten even faster at grasping the basic idea of things. She probably didn't have the details, but she was getting increasingly intrusive when it came to that Yamanaka mind-hack of hers.

"You said that in your clone's extra memory, you were referred to as 'Uzumaki?'" Shikamaru stroked his chin, looking at Naruto.

"Yeah." Naruto nodded.

"This is just too weird." Tenten said. "The Uzumaki used to be the leading clan of Uzu - where we are going."

"I... Uh..." The blonde Uzumaki nudged some grass with his foot.

Neji had his eyes closed when he spoke, taking a deep breath. "It would seem as if our being sent to the ruins of Uzushiogakure is not by chance or coincidence." He opened his eyes. "I do not think we are going to get any closer to understanding what is going on until we get there. Let's focus ourselves on the task of getting there, first."

Sakura kept her gaze on Neji as everyone gave uncomfortable nods. The group began to disperse, and Sakura made a bee-line for Neji. "Neji-"

"Miss Haruno," Neji began in a stoic Hyuuga tone, "Whatever happens to Naruto from here on out is a destiny to be shared by Lady Hinata. It is not something I or anyone else has control over."

"But Kabuto-" She protested.

"We all have a role that is greater than the sum of our actions." Neji interrupted. "What you have to discuss is best shared for a later time." His eyes settled on her. "You know this to be true, or else you would have brought it up during the discussion."

Sakura resisted the urge to punch him into the next dimension. She turned sharply on her heel, expressing a bit of frustration into her steps. As her rational mind caught up with the rest of her, it ultimately came to the same conclusion as Neji. While she was now certain that Orochimaru knew something, all she would do is further muddy the waters at this point. Whatever the snake's interest in Hinata and/or the Hyuuga was, he didn't seem to have acted on it in many years.

It was a crazy thought... But perhaps Orochimaru was today's villain in order to be history's hero? Well... If he had survived?

Sakura wasn't sure that thought was any more comforting, and she had less than an hour to eat and meet back up with the group.

* * *

Danzo cast his unbandaged eye across the field littered with the summoned ninja. It was a different sensation from commanding ROOT operatives. They were not formed into rigid ranks and many of them met his eye, directly. He actually had to give the old Sarutobi some credit. Interacting with the public had always been his strong suit, a trait Danzo was gaining new respect for.

He cast an eye over to the younger ninja. "Many of you have only recently placed the symbol of our village on your head." He started, wincing as he saw a few wearing the Hita-atte on shoulders, around waists, etc. "After the recent attack, it has been decided that we must begin training to fight as larger groups against more powerful foes. Each of your teams will have one of the twelve older members, most of whom ranked Chunin, stand in as your Jonin instructors on this trip." The group seemed to break their attention for a moment to look across at the older group of ninja.

"They have all fought admirably as a team against many of the most powerful ninja the world currently has to offer, and from them you will learn and practice how to fight as an even larger team." Danzo paused, tapping his cane. "This is the primary purpose of your mission. However, recent events have also given rise to a need to investigate the ruins of an old village. You will go ahead of the research team and establish a secure area."

A few of the teens shifted nervously. It was a somewhat frustrating contrast to the ROOT initiates. But it was also this difference in perspectives that could work to their advantage. Sometimes the people were more important than the mission, a concept ROOT initiates would immediately reject as they killed whatever got in their way or abandoned nameless, faceless comrades like a body sluffing off skin cells. "We do not anticipate much need for security, but if even a fraction of the village's legacy can be uncovered, the knowledge would be invaluable to any nation."

His gaze turned to the older ninja of the Konoha 11 plus his own operative. Their eyes seemed to hold far less worry, but their posture seemed to shift in discomfort. "For many of you, it will be the first time you have ever led a team. Leading is more than giving orders or instilling discipline. Leadership is answering the call of responsibility. Sometimes, that means making the hard decisions. Sometimes, that means bringing order to confusion. But most often, it means paying attention to those you are responsible for. It is giving them the tools they need to solve problems on their own and teaching them how to exploit their strengths while managing their weaknesses." He tapped his cane, again. "It often means putting your own thoughts and worries on hold to listen to and resolve the concerns of those you lead."

There seemed to be a bit less discomfort in their stance. Wording the task of leadership as a list of concepts and a few duties seemed to make it easier for people to see themselves in that role. "In the end, leadership is not controlling, it is teaching and empowering those you lead to be able to act without you." And how many times Danzo had seen institutions where 'leadership' was anything but...

"There will be two Jonin sent to advise your team." He motioned as Yamato and Shizune stepped up from behind him. "They are not here to give you orders, but to offer their experience, knowledge, and talents. They will intervene if they see anything dangerous and will assume control in the event of an emergency." Shizune had been a last-minute suggestion by Shikaku. Danzo had no doubt the man had intended to nominate her all along, but had waited until the council was tired and hungry. She ended up being a more unanimous choice than Yamato had.

Having both Sakura and Shizune out of the hospital was a bit of a concern, but Shizune had mostly been hovering over Tsunade's comatose form. She had already demonstrated great leadership in building a hospital staff that was able to operate under grueling circumstances without her or Sakura bellowing orders. It would do her some good to get out of the village for a time and be amongst the 'flames of youth,' as Gai would suggest. She also added a relatively different perspective, having wandered with Tsunade and lived a very atypical life as a ninja.

"These two will help to guide you through your task and help you to grow as leaders, yourselves." He tapped his cane. "I will leave them to inform you of your teaming assignments, though those do not have to remain fixed for the whole mission. The team assignments are just a starting point."

* * *

Hinata looked down at the scruffy chalk-brown hair topping a trailing blue scarf. "I think I know you..." The boy started, his features narrowing as Hinata braced herself. "You're that girl Boss is always sneaking off to spend time with!"

Hinata felt the heat rise in her cheeks. That was not the expected reaction. "Konohamaru!" Two orange columns of orange hair with an auburn tint topped the head of a girl who jabbed the boy's side. "I appologize, Lady Hyuuga, he can be such a pain." She gave a curt nod.

"It is an honor to be a student of one of the prestigious Hyuuga," a brown headed boy pushed his glasses up, pausing to briefly rub his nose. The poor thing must have some kind of sinus issues.

Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. Hinata knew a bit more about Konohamaru than she did any of the others - mostly because of his relation to Naruto.

"I - Uh," Hinata felt herself shift "Thankyou."

"So, are you really going out with the boss?" Konohamaru angled toward the Hyuuga, only to be stopped short.

Moegi held the boy's scarf and pulled it taut. "Would you stop being an idiot?"

Hinata felt her face heat once again. "It - It isn't for me to say." She glared into the top of her own skull at her stuttering.

"So, um, Hyuuga Sensei?" Udon tilted his head.

Moegi slowly let Konohamaru loose. "Just Hinata is fine." Hinata forced without stammer.

"So what are we doing first, Boss's Girl?" A hand connected with Konohamaru's side "Hinata Sensei?"

Hinata did her best to speak from behind the heat flushing her face. "Well, the mission is supposed to last three months." The kids' eyes swelled a bit. "But we will be staying in housing very similar to what most of you are, now, with regular supply shipments." The trio exchanged glances. "So we should be able to travel pretty light."

Their eyes all shot to her, and she made sure to speak before they bombarded her with questions. "But we should still prepare for the unexpected." She raised a hand like Kurenai sometimes would. "Missions can last longer than what you expect, or you can even be sent on new missions before returning from another." It was a reality few genin were used to. "I will be packing the mission basics, but if you use weapons or tools frequently, you might want to consider packing a few more of those than you would, normally. A week's worth of rations in a storage scroll would also be a good idea. That will last long enough to get to a few major cities near where we are expected to be."

"Do you know what they are looking for?" Udon blurted. "In the ruins, I mean."

"I don't really know." It wasn't the complete truth, but they had all agreed to keep 'the kids' from getting wound up in the issue. When they knew more, they would be sure to keep the genin in the loop.

"They said you all fought powerful opponents." Konohamaru seemed to stand on the balls of his feet. "Who is the most powerful you have fought?"

Hinata thought about that one for a moment. Perhaps there was a lesson in that story.

* * *

"I can't believe it!" The boy next to her shouted. "We get the Hero of the Leaf!"

"I wonder if he will show us the fox!" The other boy pumped his fist.

"Hey, Hyuuga." The first boy seemed to glare at her. "What do you think?"

Hanabi perked an eyebrow, noting the sun hanging just above the trees. "What I think doesn't matter." She stepped ahead of the two. "We have a mission to complete, no matter who is or isn't a hero."

"Great..." She heard one of the boys mumble. "We get stuck with the frigid bitch."

She thought, for a moment, about telling them of the destiny she saw for them. It was tempting. But her own words to their new Sensei, just a few hours ago, echoed in her own mind. No matter what she saw, she didn't see all of what was. Hanabi heaved a sigh.

"I was always told you Hyuuga thought you were better than everyone else." The second boy seemed to spit from behind her.

Hanabi let her brows fall as she tossed her pack aside. "And if I was not better than you, would that change your attitude?"

"Your attitude is what is wrong!" The first boy growled.

Hanabi dropped into a defensive stance. "Then I welcome you to change it."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Yeah - Hanabi doesn't get along well with others.

I am debating just how detailed to make the 'genin army.' On one hand - I want them to be more than just the fodder that we see in countless manga/animes. On the other hand - I do not want to detract from the story's 'heroes.' I will probably end up using a lot of references to other anime just to give many of the anime-familiar audience some 'depth' to the extras without them being nondescript fodder.

I debated doing this like I did - since it is a sudden and massive expansion of the plot's cast. However, it feels 'right' to give our heroes a leadership role and this seems to fit naturally within the plot. It should work okay, too, since most of our 'heroes' are being bombarded with new and unfamiliar faces, as well. Burdens placed upon the reader that can be shared with the characters of the story should work out okay.

I also struggled with the scene where Hanabi was reading the story. On one hand - I felt as if it was cheapening the story to 'gloss' over it... But on the other hand, it seemed like a largely unnecessary detail for this story. Perhaps I can pull a hollyweird and write a prequel that basically gives us the story. By now - it should be obvious it is meant to be a sort of biography, and those of you up to date on the manga should see where this is going (particularly if you looked up my threads on Narutobase that pretty much detail the theories this story is based on).

Until next time, I thank you all for reading - encourage you to review (while praise is nice, and it inflates my ego - equally necessary is criticism) - and hope you enjoyed the read.

Take care, you all, and mind the activities of your governments.


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